Two more wins for the Cardinals

(Above) GHV’s Ray Cataldo keeps his eye on the basket as he heads to the hoop in a home match-up against North Union..  Also pictured for GHV is Matthew Heinemann.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura boys basketball team picked up where they left off prior to the holiday break, with two more wins, moving their record to 6-2, 9-3.

GHV 73, North Union 26

The Cardinals got off to a strong start and never looked back in a 73-26 romp over North Union (2-6, 2-8) on Thursday, Jan. 5, at home.

GHV opened the game with 16 unanswered points behind the hot hand of Ryan Meyers, who contributed eight of the 16 points.  The Cardinal defense held North Union to just four first quarter points, 22-4.

North Union picked it up a bit in the second quarter, sinking some threes, but the Cards still outscored them 17-10 to take a 39-14 lead into the break.

“We got off to a great start,” said Coach Joe Albertson.  “The boys were moving the ball well and finding the open man.”

The power play continued in the second half, with the Cards outscoring North Union, 34-12.  The bench got to see some action in the second half and accounted for 38-points.

James Betz recorded a double-double in the game, with 10-points and 10-rebounds.  He also had four assists.

“James did some of everything.  He rebounded, scored from inside and outside, and had a bunch of good passes.  He has done a great job of taking what the defense gives him,” said Albertson.

Meyers led the scoring onslaught with 17-points, in addition to his nine rebounds, three steals and one blocked shot. Cataldo added 14-points, while  Jonah Albertson added eight and Matthew Heinemann, Jared Graham and Landon Dalbeck all had five points.

Graham led the team in assists with five.  Cataldo and Graham had three steals apiece.  Heinemann recorded two blocked shots and Justin Redding had one.

GHV 43, Algona 38

Despite a 3-7 record, the Algona Bulldogs came ready to play ball Friday night when they hosted GHV.  The Bulldogs made the Cardinals work for their victory.

The Cardinals only managed a four-point lead after the first quarter, 10-6.

The Bulldogs knotted the score, 13-13 in the second quarter.  A three-point shot with just :03 remaining in the half pulled Algona to within one-point, 24-23.

GHV held the Bulldogs to just two-points in the third quarter to go up, 34-25.

Algona opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back threes, 34-31.  The Cardinal’s free throw shooting saved the game, with James Betz sinking three, and Ryan Meyers and Connor Burke connecting on two apiece to win the game, 43-38.

“Algona has always played us well in the past, and we expected the same this time,” said Coach Joe Albertson.  “We had a tough time getting going on the offensive end.  We struggled to find a rhythm, but when Nick Joynt, Ryan Meyers and James Betz got it inside, we were effective.”

Betz and Meyers scored 13-points apiece.  Joynt added eight-points.

Betz also led under the boards with 10 rebounds.  Jared Graham hauled in five and Meyers and Joynt each had four.  Burke had three rebounds.

Graham led the team in steals with four.  Betz, Meyers and Matthew Heinemann had one steal apiece.  Meyers also had two blocked shots.

The team takes on Forest City and West Hancock next week.  The Cardinals travel to Forest City on Friday, Jan. 12, and host West Hancock on Tuesday, Jan. 16.  Game time is 7:30 p.m.