Mustangs down Rebels 43-31

Riverside and Buffalo Island Central resumed their longtime rivalry Tuesday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex in Monette. Both squads had trouble finding the basket as each suffered through a cold shooting night, but when the dust settled, the Mustangs came away with a 43-31 victory over the Rebels in the first meeting of the season between the two old nemeses.

Riverside jumped on top 4-0 to begin the game before the Mustangs strung together a 9-0 run to take a 9-4 lead. Gage Crews dropped in a free throw in the closing seconds of the quarter as the Mustangs held a 9-5 lead after the first break.

The second quarter turned into a free throw shooting contest between the two squads as numerous fouls were called. Each team managed just one basket apiece during the period, with BIC taking a 20-14 advantage into the dressing room at intermission.

Foul trouble plagued Riverside in the second half as both Justin Berry and Ethan Boatman fouled out early in the third quarter. BIC stretched its lead to 27-20 on a 10-foot Blaine Wildy jumper at the 4:03 mark, but the Rebels charged back. Steven Stroud dropped in a pair of midrange jumpers, followed by a Traven Weaver free throw, slicing the Mustang lead to two points. Weaver then came away with a steal and a layup to square the game at 27-all with 2:08 left in the quarter.

BIC answered when Kaleb Dublin raced through the Riverside defense for a driving lay-in at the 1:24 mark, putting BIC on top 29-27. A Rebel turnover led to another Dublin layup, giving the Mustangs a 31-27 lead entering the final frame.

Stroud began the fourth quarter canning a 15-foot jumper to trim the BIC lead to 31-29, but it would be the only bucket the Rebels would get in the final frame. Devin Pemberton, who led all scorers with 18 points, scored on three straight possessions to push the BIC lead to 37-29 at the 5:45 mark. A basket by Wildy, followed by a pair of Wildy free throws, increased BIC’s lead to 12. Pemberton and Wildy took turns knocking down foul shots in the final minutes, as BIC capped off a 12-0 run to take a commanding 43-29 lead with 2:46 left. Riverside managed a pair of Stroud free throws late in the game to set the final score.

BIC (7-5) got nine points from Kyle Thrasher. Wildy finished with eight, Dublin scored six while Whit Cagle added two points. The Mustangs sank 18-28 free throws and hit one three-pointer.

Riverside (3-13) was led by Stroud’s 10 points. Weaver had seven, Crews scored six, Boatman tallied four while Berry and Brennen Laird added two points apiece. The Rebels dropped in 11-17 foul shots and failed to make a three pointer on the night.

In junior high action, Riverside held off BIC 35-32. Trae Barnes poured in a game high 17 to pace the Rebels. Carl Gallapoo also hit double digits, scoring 11 points. Easton Hatch and Stanford Robinson added two points apiece.

Brayden Carmichael led BIC with 12 points. Parker Anderson scored eight, Nicholas Patterson had six, Dawson Stewart posted three while Caden Whitehead chipped in two. Tyler Pitts added one point.