GHV blows past Bison

It was an easy win for the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura boys basketball team, when they traveled to North Iowa for their final game before the holiday break on Monday, Dec. 22.  The Cardinals moved their record to 5-2, 6-2, with the victory over the winless North Iowa team.

“The team was determined to finish the Christmas run with a win at North Iowa,” said Coach Joe Albertson.  “Even though we were not hitting some of the shots we have been hitting in the past, the boys found ways to force some turnovers and score in the paint.”

GHV came out ready to play and jumped to an early 10-0 lead.  The Cards maintained the 10-point lead to end the first quarter, 17-7, and stretched that to 28-12 by half-time.

The second half was all Cardinals, as they went on a 16 point run, which included two three-point shots by Payton James.  The bench took over in the fourth quarter and Jack Bertilson and Ben Baumgard combined for nine points to end the game with the 61-28 victory.

James, who was 4/8 from the three-point arc, ended the game with 18 points.  

“Payton proved to be a great scoring punch off the bench.  He has been shooting very well from deep and making teams pay for staying connected to the post,” said Albertson.

Sam Cataldo, Holden Hutcheson, Logan Ryerson and Alex Stromer all added six points.  Ben Baumgard had five points and Jack Bertilson scored four points.  Jonathan O’Connor and Brandon Ross contributed three points apiece and Turner Albertson and Harley Forry rounded out the scoring with two points each.

Ryerson and Stromer led under the boards with six rebounds apiece.  Cataldo grabbed five and James and Forry each had four rebounds.

Hutcheson and Forry led the team in assists with three apiece.  Stromer, Baumgard, Albertson and Forry had two steals each.  Cataldo led the team in blocked shots with six.

The Cardinals are back in action at home on Tuesday, Jan. 6.