Gage Madden

BRITT, Iowa — Iowa Class 2A, No. 8-ranked West Hancock capitalized from the bonus arc to break open a close game with North Union on Friday night.

The unbeaten Eagles made three of their dozen 3-pointers in Top of Iowa Conference girls basketball action to trigger a tiebreaking 13-0 run during the start of the second quarter.

Rachel Leerar netted five of her game-high 21 points, including one of her two 3s, during the Eagles’ pivotal double-figure first-half run to pace a 56-35 victory over the visiting Warriors in Britt, Iowa.

Trailing 14-6 on the heels of Rachel Leerar’s traditional 3-point play, Emily Meyer helped trigger North Union’s 8-0 surge that bridged the first and second quarters to produce a tie. Meyer tossed in a low-post basket for two of her team-high 10 points, Alivia Charlton sank a solo free throw and Vanessa Von Bank nailed a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining in the first frame.

Naomi Jones connected on a baseline runner to open the second quarter to help the Warriors even the score at 14-all.

Meyer later drained a 3-pointer to trim North Union’s deficit to 45-27 with 2:20 left in the third quarter only to see West Hancock reel off 11 unanswered points to bridge the quarter break.

Sam Nielsen produced six points and pulled down a game-best 10 rebounds for the Warriors, Jones netted four points, while Olivia Von Bank, Lily Henderson and Charlton each garnered six boards.

Kennedy Kelly scored 11 points and pocketed three steals for the Eagles, Ann Horstman sank three 3s to finish with nine points, while Mallory Leerar chipped in eight points.

Rachel Leerar, who entered the game with a 30-point scoring average, grabbed seven rebounds and made three steals to complement her 21-point outing. Leah Aitchison collected a team-best nine boards for the Eagles.

North Union (3-2) plays host to Northwood-Kensett on Monday in Armstrong, while West Hancock (4-0) hits the road to Emmetsburg on Monday.

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Boys Basketball

West Hancock 44, North Union 26 — The Eagles combined a game-opening 14-0 run with a 17-point unanswered string of points during the third quarter to coast to an 18-point Top of Iowa Conference win over the Warriors on Friday night in Britt, Iowa.

Rylan Barnes generated eight consecutive points during West Hancock’s initial surge en route to a game-best 14-point performance.

Unfortunately for North Union, it never recovered from a scoreless first quarter. Aidan Fries finally ended the Warriors’ game-opening offensive drought halfway through the 8-minute second frame with a putback basket.

After Nick Schiltz nailed a 3-pointer to open the third quarter for the Warriors, Cole Schisel scored half of his eight-point effort to help engineer the Eagles’ 17-0 surge that fueled a 37-9 lead.

Gage Madden, however, closed the final 10 minutes of regulation by going on a 12-point scoring outburst for North Union, including a traditional 3-point play with 5 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Schiltz finished with five points for the Warriors, while Fries contributed four points and six rebounds.

North Union (0-4) plays host to Northwood-Kensett on Monday night in Armstrong, while West Hancock (2-2) travels to Emmetsburg.