Council Bluffs, Iowa
Winning cures all woes. Wednesday night at Reiver Arena had everybody feeling like the healthiest kid on the block.
The Reivers (5-5, 5-5) staved off an early rally to win big, 85-54, over visiting Iowa Central (4-6, 4-6).
Iowa Western got a huge night from Dhashon Dyson off the bench and outscored the visiting Tritons by 24 in a big second half.
It was Elijah Bishop carrying IWCC in the first half, scoring 11 of his 13 points on 4-5 shooting, in the first start of the season for the freshman out of St. Louis.
A PJ Ngambi 3-pointer cut the Reiver lead to just two points before IWCC outscored the Tritons 15-10 in the last 6:32 of the opening half.
"Our guys did a great job of playing consistently and answering any time they (ICCC) made a run," said Head Coach Chad Van Riessen. "I thought our guys played with great energy and focus throughout the game."
Iowa Central closed the gap to a single point less than four minutes into the second and that's when Coach Chad Van Riessen's squad took control.
A 27-8 run, fueled by nine points by Dyson ballooned the lead to 20 with seven minutes left in the game and from there it was entertainment time.
The crowd was given two thunderous Joe Doyle, Jr. dunks and a fast-paced finish as the Reivers proved what they're capable of when firing on all cylinders.
"I'm happy for our guys to see them play well and get a good win on our home floor," Van Riessen added.
IWCC dominated on the boards, outpacing ICCC by 10 in the first half and 15 in the second while picking up nine steals and four blocks on the defensive end.
Dyson's 16 led the way with Bishop following with 13. Dewayne Vass added 12 points, six rebounds, and six assists, while Roland McCoy also reached double figures with 11 and grabbed seven boards.
Kaeden Lawary led the team with eight boards and had six opportunistic points in just 13 minutes of play.
The Reivers continue their toughest week of the regular season when they travel to Ottumwa, Iowa to face Indian Hills on Thursday night. That game can be viewed here courtesy of Indian Hills.
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