Spartan roll in opener, 103-60

All 13 players dressed for the game scored as the Southwestern men’s basketball team opened the 2022-23 season with a 103-60 victory over the visiting Graceland University JV Tuesday night.

Sophomore returnees Devin Tomlinson and Khayden Hooks led the balanced Spartan attack with 17 and 16 points, respectively. They did much of their damage in the 54-22 first half, netting 29 of their combined 33 points in the opening stanza.

Much of the second half was a 3-point shooting display by many players off the Spartan bench as coach Reggie Kindle got a good look at everyone in official competition for the first time.

“The guys did some good things,” Kindle said. “Everybody scored. These games are really good to get our feet wet, especially with a new group of guys. We lost six sophomores last year that all went on to play.”

The Spartans raced to a 23-8 lead with a stifling man-to-man defense and fast-paced offensive attack that scored both in transition and from the perimeter. Southwestern made 16 3-pointers in the game, led by Tomlinson, the 6-6 sophomore post player, with five. Sophomore Brance Baker of Creston, Quincy Evans and Corbin Dozier each had a pair of treys.

“You have to be able to shoot it in our system and it was nice to see guys knocking them down tonight,” Kindle said. “Brance Baker is the heart and soul of our team from a toughness standpoint. He does all of the little things. Devin and Khayden will probably be our leaders i the boxscores this year and we kind of go how they go. I like our team. But there’s a lot of things we can clean up.”

After a long preseason, Kindle said the players were excited to take the floor in competition in front of a home crowd. A large student section dressed in a Halloween costume theme provided boisterous support and the Spartan dance team performed at halftime.

“When you battle with each other for two months straight and you get tired of the coach yelling at you, it’s nice to get excited to come out and play in front of people,” Kindle said. “We appreciate the support of the student crowd and the community support.”

Graceland sophomore Kaden Briggs, a Creston High School teammate of Baker’s, made the trip with the Yellowjackets but did not appear in the game.

Southwestern travels to Peru State Friday, where Kindle was formerly an assistant coach. Those two teams meet in a rematch at Southwestern next Tuesday.

SWCC 103, Graceland JV 60

SOUTHWESTERN (FG FT PTS) — Totals — 35 21-30 103. Devin Tomlinson 7 1-2 17, Khayden Hooks 5 6-7 16, Corbin Dozier 3 4-4 12, Joel Villanueva 3 3-4 10, Everett Parker 3 2-3 9, Brance Baker 3 0-0 8, Quincy Evans 3 0-0 7, Patrick Worrell 2 0-0 5, Drake Davison 1 2-4 4, Gore Puot 1 2-2 4, Balsa Folic 1 1-2 4, Tyus Wills 2 0-1 4, Isaiah Peasley 1 01 3. 3-point goals — 16 (Tomlinson 5, Baker 2, Evans 2, Dozier 2, Folic 1, Parker 1, Worrell 1, Villanueva 1, Peasley 1). Team fouls — 18. Fouled out — None.

GRACELAND JV (FG FT PTS) — Totals —19 18-24 60. Mike Livingston 8 7-9 24, Dalton Reeves 1 6-7 8, Dylan Shaffer 3 1-2 8, Ramik Spencer 2 1-1 6, Jaidon Anthony 2 0-0 4, Orion Tomlinson 1 1-1 3, Jason Branch 1 1-2 3, Zach Biedinger 1 0-0 3, Garrett Phillips 0 1-2 1. 3-point goals — 5 (Shaffer 1, Reeves 1, Spencer 1, Livingston 1, Biedinger 1. Team fouls — 25. Fouled out — Anthony.