North Tama forward Michael Schrier (20) attempts to move past Baxter’s Carson Scroggins (34) on the way to the net in last Friday’s conference matchup with the Bolts in Traer. At 6 foot 4 inches tall, Scroggins was a force to be reckoned with under the basket all night for the Redhawks offense. Schrier started for the Redhawks both Friday and Saturday evening as starting forward Adam Greiner was out with an ankle injury. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Down starting forward Adam Greiner due to injury, the Redhawks recorded a pair of losses this past week on the hardwood – falling to the Baxter Bolts, 78-61, in a conference matchup Friday evening and then again to AGWSR, 62-60, on Saturday.

Greiner was out both games due to an ankle injury he suffered earlier in the week Tuesday while on the road against conference rival Collins-Maxwell – a game the Redhawks handily won, beating the Spartans 73-53.

North Tama Athletic Director Taylor Wurth indicated Greiner was sitting out the game with Baxter in anticipation of reaching full health in time for the matchup with AGWSR, but he did not play as anticipated Saturday.

During Friday’s home game against Baxter, the Redhawks came within three points of the Bolts in the final two minutes of the third quarter before watching it all fall apart in the fourth.

The Bolts are currently undefeated in conference play this season and sit atop the Iowa Star-South Conference leaderboard with 11 conference wins.

Redhawks center Thomas Hulme (24) attempts a jump shot through a tangle of Baxter defense after an offensive rebound while North Tama forward Michael Schrier helps block. Hulme enters the week at No. 3 in the state –moving up from No. 5 last week – for the number of offensive rebounds with 106. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

The biggest hurdle the Redhawks needed to overcome Friday evening was Baxter’s lightning fast, powerful passing game which saw the ball move from player to player with barely a flick of the wrist.

Redhawks starting center Thomas Hulme led the offense for the team against the Bolts, putting up 17 points – most of those jump shots made amidst a sea of Baxter defense and as the result of his own offensive rebounds which numbered eight. Hulme was also the defensive leader with nine rebounds for a total of 17, more than half the team’s 33 total.

Kopriva had less shot attempts than usual against Baxter, but still sunk three out of four 3-pointers attempted while logging 18 points total for North Tama.

Despite suffering an injury to his left leg with five minutes left in the fourth quarter causing him to sit out for two minutes while AD Wurth assessed his injury, Devin McKinley put up 15 points for the Redhawks and four rebounds.

Junior forward Michael Schrier started for the Redhawks in Greiner’s absence, contributing 8 rebounds and three steals but zero points.

North Tama’s Devin McKinley lies on the floor behind the Redhawks net, gripping his left knee during the fourth quarter of last Friday’s game against the Bolts while Athletic Director Taylor Wurth assesses his injury. McKinley injured himself while on a breakaway to the basket – leaving the game temporarily – but returned two minutes later to finish the game. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Freshman guard Josh Dostal came off the bench several times during the game, helping push North Tama to within spitting distance of the Bolts with nine points.

Hulme was benched early in the fourth quarter due to his fourth foul, while Kopriva fouled out with 23 seconds remaining in the game but not before sinking the final 3-pointer of the evening for the Redhawks just seconds prior.

State leaderboard stats

Following the weekend games, Hulme moved up to third from last week’s fifth place spot (Telegraph note: before dropping back down to fourth on Tuesday, Feb. 1) atop the state leaderboard for offensive rebounds.

Hulme enteed the week with 106 offensive rebounds, behind only Riley Sabin’s 113 rebounds of Class 1A North Iowa and Theo Klaes’s 110 rebounds of Class 1A Riceville.

Starting guard Gabe Kopriva is pictured mid-bounce behind the 3-point demarcation last Friday evening in the Redhawks Nest during North Tama’s conference game against the Baxter Bolts. Kopriva inched up slightly on the state 3-point leaderboards following the weekend play. While he remains in the No. 1 spot for 3-point attempts with 202, he moved to the No. 2 spot for 3-pointers made with 71. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Kopriva also inched up slightly on the 3-point leaderboards. While he remains in the No. 1 spot for 3-point attempts with 202 – ahead of Class 1A Martensdale-St Marys’ Hogan Franey with 187 – he moved to No. 2 for 3-pointers made with 71, just behind Franey’s 74.

North Tama is now 11-7 for the season and begins the week tied for second with Colo-Nesco in the Iowa Star-South Conference.

After a conference matchup with Valley Lutheran (1-12) on the road Tuesday, the Redhawks are scheduled to play Don Bosco-Catholic at home this Thursday, Feb. 3. The Dons are currently 5-13 for the season and sit in sixth place for the Iowa Star-North Conference.

North Tama then travels to Jesup on Feb. 7 to take on the J-Hawks (10-4) in another non-conference game. Tipoff is set for 7:45 p.m. at Jesup High School.

The Redhawks scoreboard pictured with two minutes remaining in the third quarter of last Friday’s conference game in Traer against the Baxter Bolts – North Tama came within three points of beating the undefeated-in-conference-play Bolts during the third quarter only to watch their run fall apart in the fourth, succumbing to the Bolts, 78-61. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Devin McKinley (5) books it to the basket in the Redhawks Nest during the Friday, Jan. 28 game against the Baxter Bolts in Traer. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Thomas Hulme. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Gabe Kopriva. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Devin McKinley. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Thomas Hulme (24). Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Gabe Kopriva shoots for three. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Thomas Hulme (24) watches his free throw attempt swish through the net in the Redhawks Nest on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. Photo by Soren M. Peterson