Reiver return home with victory

From Left to Right: Esahia Nyiwe, Amadou Sylla, Travon Broadway, and Caleb Huffman all played significant roles in the decisive 77-54 victory over KCK Tuesday (11/27/18) evening at Reiver Arena.
From Left to Right: Esahia Nyiwe, Amadou Sylla, Travon Broadway, and Caleb Huffman all played significant roles in the decisive 77-54 victory over KCK Tuesday (11/27/18) evening at Reiver Arena.

Council Bluffs, IA -- After a previously successful week that saw the Iowa Western men's basketball team travel first from Colorado to then Kansas, the Reivers returned to the home confines of Reiver Arena Tuesday (11/27/18) evening where they recorded a decisive 77-54 victory over the visiting Blue Devils of Kansas City - Kansas (KCK).

After trading leads back-and-forth for the first eight minutes of the contest, Iowa Western trailed 13-14 with a little under twelve minutes to go until halftime. However, from that point the Reivers defense dominated the remainder of the first frame and remarkably before KCK scored it's next points, two free throws with just 4.5 seconds left until half, the Reivers had gone on a 22-0 run and led 35-16 at intermission.  The Blue Devils would get no closer then 14 points, and after another Iowa Western run pushed the lead back out to 26 with a little under nine minutes to play, the competitive aspect of the contest was over. With the win, the Reivers moved to 9-1 on the season.

Iowa Western was led by Parker Hazen's 17 point - 9 rebound, Christian Bentley's 16 point, and Emmanuel Ugboh's 11 point - 8 rebound, and Travon Broadway's 8 assist efforts.  Iowa Western remained patient and unselfish against the full forty minutes of zone defense played by KCK; still scoring 43 of the team's 77 points in the paint. Calvin Slaughter's 14 points led the way for the traveling Blue Devil's; who the Reivers will see December 15th, to close out the first semester of the schedule, in Kansas City a few weeks from now.

Up next for Iowa Western is a trip to Creston, IA where the Rievers will take on an undeafeated Southwestern team (9-0). Tip-off between the Reivers and Spartans is slated for 3:00pm.