Council Bluffs, IA -- The Southeast Storm rolled into Reiver Arena with one of their best early-season records in memory at 10-2, but at game's end left Council Bluffs with just their third loss of the season. Iowa Western, on the other hand, extended their season-long winning streak to four games with one of their better shooting nights of the season. The Reivers would end up connecting on 15 three-point shots, and shot a blistering 47% from behind the arc, en route to a victory that was controlled by the home team virtually the entire contest.
Playing without fellow starting guard Jalen Dalcourt due to injury, Caleb Huffman had a dominant first-half performance, scoring 23 of his 27 points in the game's opening 20 minutes; as the Reivers opened up a 17 point lead midway through the first frame. Southeast chipped away; but a late 9-2 Iowa Western run left the Storm trailing by 19 points at intermission 52-33, concluding perhaps the best half of basketball played thus far this season by the Reivers.
To almost equal the splendid play of Huffman in the first half, Josiah Strong followed up the second half with very much a similar effort; as he scored 20 of his game high 28 points after the half. The Reivers came out of the locker room primed to put Southeast away for good, and quickly pushed the lead up to 24 with 18:45 to play. However, the Storm began to show why they were a 10-2 team that had already beaten Iowa Western conference foe Northeast earlier in the season. Over the next 10 minutes, Southeast began to chip away. Led by LeBeck Warren's 20 point evening, the Storm clawed to within six points with 7:15 to play. That would be as close as they would come as two straight Jo Strong three-point field goals quickly pushed the lead back to 12 points and the Reivers weathered the Storm for a convincing, 95-79, win in a game they only trailed on the game's opening basket.
Two other Reivers scored in double figures: Kaleb Thornton poured in 19 points; while Damontrez Ruffin chipped in 12 points to round out the double figure scorers for Iowa Western.
The win ends Iowa Western's productive homestand, as the Reivers return to the road for the first time in 22 days with a trip to Overland Park, KS. The Reivers are part of a four team classic at Johnson County and will open up play against Highland (KS) at 5:00pm Friday (12/13) night.
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