Senior guard Drew Sorensen scored seven points, all of them in the third quarter, to help the Ankeny boys’ basketball team to a 58-46 victory on Friday at Ankeny Centennial. The Hawks improved to 2-0 on the season.
Sorensen averaged 7.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as a junior, when he helped Ankeny to a 10-12 record. He earned all-conference honorable mention.
Here is some inside info on Sorensen:
Congratulations on the win over Centennial. Was the game tougher than you expected after the Jaguars opened their season on Tuesday with a 64-21 loss at Waukee Northwest?
Thank you, I appreciate it. I wouldn’t say I expected the game to be easy by any means after their first game. Any rivalry game, regardless of who is playing, is always going to be intense and hard-fought.
Your team was sparked in the first half by 7-foot-1 center Max Allison, who had three dunks and all seven of his points in the first two quarters. What has he brought to the lineup this season?
Max is a key guy to our team. He is the key piece to our defense because of his ability to contest shots and rebounds, and he gives a paint presence that we can rely on in our offense. He is a big-time player, and I think he is going to show the rest of the state that with every game that he plays.
Centennial rallied from an early 8-0 deficit to take a 27-26 lead at halftime. Did you guys make any big adjustments during the break?
I wouldn’t say there were any major adjustments we made. We just all acknowledged that we were going to have to trust each other to get the job done, and I think that is what we did.
After going scoreless in the first half, you had a 3-point goal and a drive for a basket to cap an 11-0 run that opened the third quarter and turned the game around. You also had a pull-up jumper later in the period. Were you trying to be more aggressive offensively in the second half, or did you just take advantage of the opportunities that you had?
A little mix of both. I try to just let the game come to me, and if I can get myself going, I try to see what I can do with that when it comes to creating my own opportunities. Playing alongside Rio (Aguirre) and Jasani (Campbell) helps me a lot because they make the game super easy for the rest of us.
Your team also got a big lift from senior guard Samuel Cowart, who came off the bench to score a career-high 12 points on four 3-pointers. What can you say about the way he stepped up for the squad?
Sammy was the key factor in the win. We as a team have confidence in Sam because we know he is an elite shooter. I look at him as one of those guys who can change the momentum of a game completely because of how good of a shooter he is.
What was your impression of the Jaguars? They’ve got a young and inexperienced team, but do you think they can cause some problems for teams in the CIML Conference?
Yes, definitely. From what I saw Friday night, coach (Matt) Delger and his staff do a really good job. They do have a young team, but that is no excuse to undermine their talent. Guys like (Keaton) Kasperbauer, (Hunter) Runchey and (Trey) Crawford are going to be a big problem for opposing teams in the CIML.
Your team has another big week ahead with a game at Johnston on Tuesday before you’ll host Waukee on Friday. How important will it be to sweep those games if you guys want to contend for the conference title?
Very important. Both teams are very talented and consistently finish in the upper ranks of the CIML. These are games that we look forward to and know the importance of.
Waukee Northwest is the defending Class 4A state runner-up and returns some key pieces from that squad. Do you think the Wolves are the team to beat for the league crown?
For us as a team, we don’t really look for teams to beat. Just one game at a time. Focusing too much on (games in the future) can lead to us undermining opponents, and that is something you can’t afford to do in this league.
Rio is your team’s leading scorer, and he has committed to play for Sioux Falls. Are you planning to play in college as well, and if so, have you looked at any schools?
Right now, I am undecided on where I am going to go to college. Playing at the next level does interest me, and talking to a few schools has made playing in college very intriguing.
What are you going to study?
I plan on double-majoring in Accounting and Finance.
Do you follow the NBA pretty closely? Do you have a favorite team?
I keep up with stats and scores, but I wouldn’t say there is a team I specifically like. I do find it very entertaining watching such high-level guys play.