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Nolan Otten

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Nolan Otten, Ankeny boys’ basketball

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Senior center Nolan Otten helped the Ankeny boys' basketball team advance to the Class 4A state tournament for the first time since 2012. He had eight points, three rebounds and two steals in the Hawks' 73-67 victory over Sioux City East in a substate final on Tuesday at Fort Dodge. Otten is averaging 5.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He leads the … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Nolan Otten, Ankeny boys’ basketball

‘It’s just the best feeling ever’: Hawks outlast Sioux City East for trip to state

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Braxton Bayless draped the state qualifier banner around his body and beamed with joy as he pranced around the Fort Dodge gym. The senior guard had just fulfilled a lifelong dream--leading his Ankeny boys' basketball team to the Class 4A state tournament. "It's the best feeling I've had my whole career," said Bayless. "It's just the best feeling … [Read more...] about ‘It’s just the best feeling ever’: Hawks outlast Sioux City East for trip to state

Locure scores 36 points, leads North boys to win over Hawks

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If the Des Moines North boys' basketball team continues to play like it did on Friday night, the Polar Bears may have a good chance to cut down the nets in two weeks at Wells Fargo Arena. Tyreke Locure poured in 36 points to lead North to an 87-73 victory over visiting Ankeny in a Class 4A substate semifinal. The Polar Bears (20-3) will play Johnston … [Read more...] about Locure scores 36 points, leads North boys to win over Hawks

Ankeny boys edge Little Cyclones in substate thriller

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Overcoming adversity has become a way of life for the Ankeny boys' basketball team. The Hawks, who got off to a 1-10 start this season, avenged two of those losses with a 48-46 victory at Ames in a Class 4A substate quarterfinal on Monday. They rallied from an early 10-point deficit despite playing without sophomore forward Nolan Otten, who tripped at his … [Read more...] about Ankeny boys edge Little Cyclones in substate thriller

Valley boys hold off Hawks, earn share of conference title

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A huge second quarter lifted the Valley boys' basketball team to a 68-60 victory over visiting Ankeny on Friday, allowing the Tigers to share the CIML Central Conference title with Waukee. Valley outscored Ankeny in the second quarter, 24-10, to build a 35-24 lead at halftime. The Hawks pulled to within six points in the second half, but could not get any … [Read more...] about Valley boys hold off Hawks, earn share of conference title

Hawks fall to Fort Dodge in preview of potential substate matchup

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A four-game winning streak put the Ankeny boys' basketball team into position to possibly host a first-round game in next month's Class 4A substate tournament. The final 5 minutes of Tuesday's CIML non-conference game against visiting Fort Dodge probably negated all of those wins. The Dodgers used a 19-5 run to rally for a 65-61 victory that likely had … [Read more...] about Hawks fall to Fort Dodge in preview of potential substate matchup

Hawks blow big lead, then recover to beat Centennial despite Strait’s 32 points

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The inexperienced Ankeny boys' basketball team appears to be growing up in a hurry. After blowing a 21-point lead in Friday's game at Ankeny Centennial, the Hawks made several big plays down the stretch and then held on for a 56-52 victory over their crosstown rival. The win was Ankeny's fourth in a row and avenged last month's 55-52 loss to the … [Read more...] about Hawks blow big lead, then recover to beat Centennial despite Strait’s 32 points

Otten returns from injury, helps Hawks end losing skid with win over Mason City

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For the first time in six weeks, the Ankeny boys' basketball players finally got to celebrate a victory on Tuesday. Dillon Carlson poured in 22 points as the Hawks snapped an eight-game losing skid with a 63-53 win over visiting Mason City in a CIML non-conference contest. "We definitely needed it," Carlson said. "It was a long losing streak, but I … [Read more...] about Otten returns from injury, helps Hawks end losing skid with win over Mason City

Valley boys pull away down stretch, hand Hawks their 8th consecutive loss

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The last thing that the Ankeny boys' basketball team wanted on Friday was another close game. Its opponent, Valley, probably didn't want one, either. Three of the visiting Tigers' five losses came by one point, while the Hawks had lost six games by five points or less--three of them in overtime. Valley made sure that this one didn't go down to the … [Read more...] about Valley boys pull away down stretch, hand Hawks their 8th consecutive loss