TRIMONT - With some alert plays, Mitch Olson brought the Martin County West Mavericks back just in time Monday.
The Maverick center came up with two key baskets in the final 2:35, helping the home team close out the game with a 12-3 run and pocket a 64-54 nonconference boys hoops win over the Jackson County Central Huskies in Trimont.
"We lost our composure for a big part of the game. Thank goodness we got it back in time to win," said Maverick head coach Cliff Anderson.
In addition to Olson's team-leading 17 points, Conner Grupe (15), Jacob Trio (14) and Steven Zehms (13) all scored in double figures for the Mavericks. Trio's points came off the bench.
Bryce Christopher led the Huskies with 14, while Ty Schwarting had 12 and Trevon Bargfrede scored 10 off the bench.
JCC's Skylar Prochaska converted a 3-point play with 2:56 left in the game to cut the Mavericks' lead to 52-51, but the visitors would get no closer.
Olson scored at 2:35 on a tipped ball in the paint, before a Trio steal helped set up a Zehms to Grupe conversion at 2:20. Olson then sank two free throws at 1:26, before he later converted in the lane off a tipped pass with 51 seconds to play for a 60-51 MCW lead.
The teams exchanged free throws down the stretch, save for the final basket of the game from Grupe to Trio with 10 seconds to play.
MCW led by as many as 10 points with 4:05 left in the first half, but a Christopher triple with 2:05 to play was followed by back-to-back tough drives to the lane by Bargfrede to cut the MCW lead to 30-28 at the break.
Zehms added 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, while Trio had nine. Grupe and Olson each captured eight.
Nolan Luhman contributed eight points and nine rebounds to the Huskies' effort.
Martin County West (2-1, 0-1) hosts Martin Luther today in Trimont. Jackson County Central (1-2, 0-1) plays Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin today in Mountain Lake.
Girls basketball
North Sentral Kossuth 69, Emmetsburg 50 - Bekah Rolling scored 24 points and added 13 rebounds to lead the Class 1A, No. 6-ranked Eagles to a 69-50 nonconference win over the E'Hawks on Monday in Swea City.
Kelsey Gerhart added 19 points and four assists, while Brittany Langford tallied six steals and Genna Valvick had seven rebounds.
The Eagles were 20 of 40 on 2-pointers, 9 of 36 on 3-pointers and 2 of 5 on free throws.
North Sentral Kossuth (6-0) travels to Ventura, Iowa today.
Emm 11-18- 8-13-50
NSK 14-18-17-20-69
