Tigers vs. Lions - the Tigers get the win

Ipswich hosted Langford Area for a 62-34 victory in Lake Region Conference boys' high school basketball action at the Tiger Den last Saturday. It was a battle of the big cats, the Tigers vs. the Lions and the orange and black would win it.

But the hosts would gradually pull away after only edging their visitors 14-13 in the opening quarter. However the Tigers exploded for a 31-18 halftime lead. (Their first double-figure lead was a basket by Carter Geditz for a 25-15 edge.) The Tigers would go up 44-25 with a quarter to play and then doubled the Lions 18-9 in the final stanza.

Ipswich obtained double-figure scoring from Trevor Heinz with 20 points that included a trio of treys. But further scoring was then really quite balanced.

Tyler Hettich finished with eight points that included a pair of treys and Geditz would also end up with eight points that afternoon. Blake Rich had six points and Colby Sylte was next with five points featuring one trey. Several Tigers contributed three points and they were Chet Peterson, Jace Konsor on a trey and Evan Onken with a trey as well. Ian Beyers added two points as did Tucker Miller and Turner Thorson.

Meanwhile the Lions were led by Jesse Keough and Renen Bruns with 12 points apiece, followed by Kassen Keough with 10 points including two treys. That's right, only three Lions were able to score against the Tiger defense.

Ipswich totaled 23 baskets of which eight were those treys and shot 8-13 at the free throw stripe. Langford countered with 11 accurate floor shots that included their five treys. They were 7-10 in free throw tries.

The Tigers were able to garner 37 rebounds led by Geditz with 10 boards and the Lions were led by Jesse Keough with eight retrieves. Langford sustained 12 turnovers; Ipswich, 14. But the Tigers were able to offset eight of their miscues with steals, paced by Beyers with four thefts. He also added six of his team's 10 assists.

The IHS boys traveled to Tulare on Tuesday to play Hitchcock-Tulare. The boys and girls will play a doubleheader with Potter County in Gettysburg on Thursday, Feb. 16. The boys will play in the Warner Class on Saturday, Feb. 18 playing Tiospa Zina at 5 p.m.