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Bobcats net season’s first ‘W’

Marshalltown boys get first win as Thomas shines with 29

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - Marshalltown junior guard Armonniey Thomas (10) scores over Mason City defenders Kale Hobart, left, and Jess Cornick during the first half of Tuesday’s CIML Iowa Conference boys basketball game at the Roundhouse. Thomas had 29 points in the Bobcat victory.

Scoring 17 of his team’s first 19 points and running the show with his passing ability in the second half, it was no wonder Marshalltown junior Armonniey Thomas was feeling a run coming from his team following the Bobcats’ 56-44 win over Mason City (2-7) to get their first win of the 2020-21 season.

Thomas scored a game-high (and season-high) 29 points and said he hoped this was just the beginning of his team’s change in fortunes.

“I think we’re gonna be on a roll now,” Thomas said. “Get that first win, get that momentum going, play hard and go to practice tomorrow, play Friday, get another win and keep the momentum going.”

The Bobcats started the night out strong, leading 16-10 after the first quarter and making it a priority to drive to the basket against the Mohawks and use passing and cutting to their advantage. It worked often for Thomas in the first half, but in the second quarter Prince Jallah also contributed a couple of key drives — one a silky spin move to put the Bobcats up three late in the second quarter.

Coach Michael Appel was very complimentary of Thomas’ play and the team’s passing movement during the game.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

“We just got in a good routine of sharing the ball and being aggressive to the hoop,” Appel said. “Usually good things happen when you do that.”

The half ended with a Thomas dish to Jallah for a basket to give Marshalltown 30-25 at the break.

The second half was when the Bobcats began to push the lead, as sophomore Drake Kapayou hit two third-quarter threes, Isaiah Borgos buried one and Thomas continued to get to the rim.

Pushing the lead to 49-35, it was the first time all season the Bobcats were in control and looked the part. The Mason City player offering the biggest threat was Corey Miner, who scored 27 points and was consistently hitting mid-range jumpers and making tough shots in the paint against whoever the Bobcats had on him.

At times in the fourth quarter, the Bobcats pressed and took jumpers early in a possession. Appel conceded that they were open jumpers, but when they missed they led to opportunities for the Mohawks to cut into the lead — twice getting it down to nine.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

Appel said it was a learning moment for the team.

“We gotta just dictate and control the game a little better and get really good shots and run the clock,” Appel said. “It’s things like that we’ve gotta understand and we’ve gotta learn from it. That’s where we’re gonna start.”

But a Kapayou three with less than one minute left pushed the score to 56-44, where it would stay until the final buzzer. Kapayou had nine points and 10 rebounds, and Jallah had nine and nine. Grant Greazel chipped in five points.

Heading into a game against the defending state champs in Ankeny Friday night, the Bobcats have true momentum for the first time all season.

Marshalltown 56, Mason City 44

MASON CITY (2-7, 1-2) — Jess Cornick 2 0-0 5, Isaiah Washington 1 0-0 2, Corey Miner 10 7-8 27, Kale Hobart 1 1-2 3, Brandon Shipman 2 0-0 5, Malakai Johnson-Bassey 0 0-0 0, Carson Siemons 0 0-0 0, Keenen Wiley 0 0-0 0, David Willemsen 1 0-0 2, Davion Maxwell 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 17 8-10 44.

MARSHALLTOWN (1-5, 1-1) — Armonniey Thomas 12 2-4 29, Grant Greazel 2 1-1 5, Drake Kapayou 3 0-0 9, Prince Jallah 4 1-4 9, Isaiah Borgos 1 0-0 3, Ivan Alvarado 0 1-2 1, Justin Melde 0 0-0 0, Bul Chol 0 0-0 0, Dwight Joar 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 22 5-11 56.

MASON CITY 10 15 10 9 — 44

MHS 16 14 19 7 — 56

3-Point Goals–MC 2 (Cornick, Shipman), MHS 7 (Thomas 3, Kapayou 3, Borgos). Team Fouls–MC 11, MHS 12. Fouled Out–none.

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