The Ankeny boys’ basketball team has already faced two of the state’s best players in Tamin Lipsey of Ames and Eli Raridon of Valley.
The Hawks faced another one on Friday in Waukee Northwest’s Pryce Sandfort.
Sandfort racked up 30 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks to lead the ninth-ranked Wolves to a 57-50 road victory in a CIML Iowa Conference game. The 6-foot-7 junior guard scored 12 consecutive points during a 17-4 run to end the game.
“Those are games you hate to lose in that way,” said Ankeny coach Brandt Carlson. “At the same time I thought we got good shots (down the stretch). We had some great attacks at the rim. I really thought we got hit at the rim, but life happens and we didn’t get the calls you want. At the end of the day, their best player made some great plays and we just weren’t able to sustain it.”
Ankeny twice led by six points, the last time at 46-40 on a basket by Ryan Crandall midway through the fourth quarter. That’s when Sandfort took over.
Sandfort made a 3-pointer to cut the Hawks’ lead to 46-44 with 3 minutes 8 seconds left. He connected on two free throws 30 seconds later to tie the game.
Sandfort drilled another 3-pointer with 1:49 to go to put the Wolves ahead for good. He then added four free throws in the final minute to seal the win, finishing 11-for-11 at the line.
As a team, the Hawks connected on 7-of-8 free throws in the physical contest.
“The refs were letting them play, and that’s fine,” Carlson said. “I think that’s to our advantage. I just think there were a couple times when we got hit in the arm, and those are the (calls) you’d like to have. But you’ve got to learn to play through it. We’ve just got to find ways to be more resilient.”
Northwest jumped out to an early 8-0 lead and held a 24-18 advantage at halftime. The Hawks then closed the third quarter with a 13-3 run to take a 37-33 lead.
Lio Aguirre scored back-to-back baskets to give Ankeny its first lead, 35-33, with 1:28 left in the period. He later scored again in the fourth quarter before Crandall’s basket extended the Hawks’ margin to six points.
Unfortunately, Ankeny went cold in the final 4 minutes.
“We were 1-of-16 from 3-point range and 21-of-51 from inside the arc–and we’re still up six points in the fourth–and that’s amazing,” Carlson said. “It shows a lot about our guys and where they can go with this if we can clean up some things offensively.”
Aguirre led the Hawks with 14 points. JJ Kohl had 10 points, nine rebounds, two steals and a block.
Crandall scored nine points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Carson Johnson added nine points and four assists.
Cade Kelderman had 11 points and five assists for Northwest, which improved to 2-0 in the conference and 5-1 overall. Ankeny’s records dropped to 1-2 and 4-2.
The Hawks won’t play again until hosting Fort Dodge on Jan. 4.
