Reivers Weather The Storm

Josiah Strong

The Southeast Storm rolled into Reiver Arena with one of their best early season records in memory at 10-2, but at game's end left Council Bluffs with just their third loss of the season. Iowa Western on the other hand extended their winning streak to 4 games with one of the better shooting nights of the season. The Reivers would end up connecting on 15 three point shots, and shoot a blistering 47% from behind the arch en route to a victory that was controlled by Iowa Western virtually the entire contest. Playing without fellow starting gaurd Jalen Dalcourt (6'2''-G) (due to injury), Caleb Huffman had a dominant first half performance, scoring 22 of his 27 points in the game's opening 20 minutes; as the Reivers opened up a 17 point lead midway through the first frame. Southeast chipped away; but a late 9-2 Iowa Western run left the Storm trailing by 19 points at intermission 52-33, concluding perhaps the best half of basketball played thus far this season by the Reivers. To almost equal the splendid play of Huffman in the first half, Josiah Strong (6'2''-G) followed up the second half with very much a similar effort; as he scored 20 of his game high 28 points after the half. The Reivers came out of the locker room primed to put Southeast away for good, and quickly pushed the lead up to 24 with 18:45 to play. However, the Storm began to show why they where a 10-2 team that had already beaten an Iowa Western conference foe Northeast in the young season. Over the next 10 minutes Southeast began to chip a way. Led by LeBeck Warren's 20 point evening the Storm clawed to within 6 points with 7:15 to play. That would be as close as they would come as two straight Jo Strong three point field goals quickly pushed the lead back to 12 points, as the Reivers weathered the Storm for a convincing 95-79 win in a game they only trailed on the game's opening basket. It is of note that the Reivers had three members of the team score 20 points or more, a rare feat in college basketball, as Kaleb Thornton (G) scored 21 points as well. Damontrez Ruffin chipped in 10 points to round out the double figure scorers for Iowa Western. The win ends Iowa Western's productive homestand, as the Reivers return to the road for the first time in 22 days with a trip to Overland Park, KS. The Reivers are part of a four team classic at Johnson County; and will open up the classic against Highland (KS) at 5:00pm Friday (12/13) night.
Courtesy of: goreivers.com