Unlike the girl’s teams, the City/West basketball game has been all Trojans in recent years, including a 30-point win over the Little Hawks last season on Dec. 7. With first-year head coach Brennan Swayzer and plenty of young talent, the Little Hawks boys basketball team was hoping to turn that around. The West High boys basketball team defeated City High 55-46 on Dec. 13.

Senior Even Brauns started the game off hot with West’s first four points but then found himself in some four trouble after some questionable charge calls down low. Without Brauns, the Trojans still found ways to score including some put back buckets from Tate Crane ’20 and a three-pointer from Christian Barnes ’22 to put West up 20-11 at the end of the first quarter.

Guards Joe Goodman ’20, Nick Pepin ’20 and Marcus Morgan ’21 put together multiple heavily contested drives and dishes for points to go along with their free throws. The trio also stayed in front of the Little Hawk guards exceptionally well in the first half as West High went into the break up 29-18.

With a three-pointer from Crane and a charge from Ben Vander Leest ’20, the Trojans got through the third quarter and went into the final period with a 14-point lead. A late three-point splurge from City High’s Kolby Kucera ’21 dropped the lead to ten in the fourth but it didn’t fluster coach Steve Bergman’s squad as they held on for the win. Despite the early foul trouble, Brauns finished the game strong not only with the buzzer-beating block but with a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds. Morgan and Goodman combined for 17 points on the night and were a big part of West High’s defensive presence.

The boys’ basketball team moves to 3-0 on the season and is back in action at West on Dec. 17 against Dubuque Senior along with another girls and boys doubleheader against Linn-Mar on Dec. 20.

Gallery • 22 Photos

Owen Aanestad

Nick Pepin '20 drives the baseline during the first half against City on Dec. 14