• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

  • Home
  • About
    • Support Us
  • News
    • Podcast
  • Hawks
    • Boys’ Track
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Track
      • Schedule
    • Boys’ Soccer
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Soccer
      • Schedule
    • Boys’ Tennis
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Tennis
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Golf
      • Roster
      • Schedule
  • Jaguars
    • Boys’ Track
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Track
      • Schedule
    • Boys’ Soccer
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Soccer
      • Schedule
    • Boys’ Tennis
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Tennis
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Golf
      • Roster
      • Schedule

Ankeny boys pull away in 2nd half, hand defending champions their 1st loss

December 11, 2022 by Dan Holm

Ankeny’s Lio Aguirre shoots a 3-pointer during Friday’s game at Ames. Aguirre made back-to-back 3-point goals in the fourth quarter as the Hawks pulled away for a 64-50 victory. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

The Harrison Barnes Gym at Ames’ new high school could become a tough place to play for opposing basketball teams.

That wasn’t the case on Friday for the Ankeny boys’ squad.

The visiting Hawks pulled away in the second half for a 64-50 victory over Ames in a non-conference game. The defending Class 4A state champion Little Cyclones (2-1) suffered their first loss.

“It was loud in there,” said Ankeny coach Brandt Carlson, whose team evened its record at 2-2 despite playing without an ailing Jamison Patton for the second straight game. “The gym kind of has a feel like (Waukee) Northwest with the lower bowl–it’s a nice place, and I think our guys enjoyed it. It’s going to be a tough place for teams to play, and that’s why we felt so good about the win.”

Ankeny’s Carson Johnson drives to the basket during Friday’s game. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

The Hawks outscored Ames in the third quarter, 17-10, to build a 44-37 lead. Lio Aguirre then made back-to-back 3-point goals to increase the margin to 52-39 with 6 minutes 5 seconds left.

“We were pretty consistent on offense,” Carlson said. “Lio went on a run for us, and so did Carson (Johnson).”

Aguirre and Johnson each scored a season-high 16 points. Johnson also had five assists.

Devon Akers and Maddox Ward each added 11 points. Akers also contributed eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

Aguirre, who also grabbed eight boards, has played well at Ames in the past. Two years ago, when he was a freshman at Ankeny Centennial, he scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half to lead the Jaguars to a come-from-behind 55-53 win.

That Ames team was led by all-state guard Tamin Lipsey, who steered the Little Cyclones to the state championship the following year. He now starts for Iowa State as a freshman.

Sophomore guard DeShawn Long is one of the players trying to fill Lipsey’s shoes. He had 22 points on Friday and is averaging 16 points a game.

Ankeny guard Maddox Ward drives past Ames defender Lucas Lueth during Friday’s game. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

“I think he’s making the most of his opportunities right now,” Little Cyclones coach Vance Downs told the Ames Tribune. “He’s shown he can score it, and it’s much needed. DeShawn’s done a super job thus far.”

The Hawks held Lucas Lueth, a returning starter from last year’s team, to just seven points on 2-of-3 shooting. But he led his team with six rebounds and four blocks.

“He’s a great talent,” Carlson said of Lueth. “He made a couple of deep 3s over contested hands, but I just thought we didn’t give him anything at the rim and that was a key.”

Ankeny got a layup from Cash Schoolen at the buzzer to forge a 27-27 tie at halftime. The Hawks made seven 3-pointers in the first half.

Ankeny’s Cash Schoolen goes in for a layup during the Hawks’ victory. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

“We shot the ball really well,” Carlson said. “But it was really tight until the third quarter. Overall, I just thought our defensive effort was really good. We made them work deep into the shot clock on most possessions, and that was hard for them to overcome.”

Carlson said it was a team effort.

“We had really good production from all seven of our guys,” he said. “I thought Devon Akers did a great job of cleaning the glass. Anytime you go on the road and win, it’s nice. And to beat a team like Ames that is always good, it’s a lot of fun.”

The Hawks will host a non-conference game against Indianola (3-0) on Monday. Former Ankeny player Brayden Drea averages 12.7 points per game for the Indians.

Filed Under: Boys' Basketball, Hawks Tagged With: Brandt Carlson, Featured

Primary Sidebar

Support Ankeny Fanatic

Recent Posts

  • From Wenatchee to Flint: Ankeny native describes his TBL journey in pro hoops
  • Ankeny Fanatic Rodcast: Episode 11
  • Football group assignments for Class 5A announced by IHSAA
  • ‘CCU has just what I was looking for’: White to join Phipps at Division II school
  • Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Kambria Leazer, Centennial girls’ track

Find Us on Facebook

Ankeny Fanatic

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017

Categories

  • Hawks
    • Fall
      • Boys’ Cross Country
      • Boys’ Golf
      • Football
      • Girls’ Cross Country
      • Girls’ Swimming
      • Volleyball
    • Spring
      • Boys’ Soccer
      • Boys’ Tennis
      • Boys’ Track
      • Girls’ Golf
      • Girls’ Soccer
      • Girls’ Tennis
      • Girls’ Track
    • Summer
      • Baseball
      • Softball
        • Roster
    • Winter
      • Boys’ Basketball
      • Boys’ Bowling
      • Boys’ Swimming
      • Girls’ Basketball
      • Girls’ Bowling
      • Boys’ Wrestling
  • Jaguars
    • Fall
      • Boys’ Cross Country
      • Boys’ Golf
      • Football
      • Girls’ Cross Country
      • Girls’ Swimming
      • Volleyball
    • Spring
      • Boys’ Soccer
      • Boys’ Tennis
      • Boys’ Track
      • Girls’ Golf
      • Girls’ Soccer
      • Girls’ Tennis
      • Girls’ Track
    • Summer
      • Baseball
      • Softball
    • Winter
      • Boys’ Basketball
      • Girls’ Basketball
      • Wrestling
  • Top Sports Stories
    • Football
    • Volleyball
  • Baseball
  • Softball

© 2023 Ankeny Fanatic. All rights reserved.