Treshaun Brooks

MASON CITY — The roller coaster dipped, climbed, plummeted and peaked again.

At the end of Friday’s topsy-turvy ride, the Marshalltown boys’ basketball team had finally found victory.

The Bobcats trailed Mason City for most of the first half, led by as many as 15 points in the third quarter and nearly succumbed to the Riverhawks’ comeback in an eventual 66-64 Marshalltown win in Friday’s Iowa Alliance Conference battle between winless teams.

It marks Marshalltown’s 100th win in the all-time series against Mason City (100-59), according to historian Brad Braga.

“We’re young and we’re learning a little bit,” said MHS head coach Michael Appel. “We felt like when we had that 10-point lead we were letting it fly a little early. They were open looks so they could go either way, but if you miss two or three in a row you’ve really gotta settle down, get something really good and get something toward the rim.”

Treshaun Brooks got it going toward the rim in his second game back from a football injury, piling up 18 points to go with six rebounds. His steal and layup gave the Bobcats a 47-32 lead during the third quarter, but Mason City (0-4, 0-2) wanted its first win too.

In the end, the Bobcats (1-4, 1-0) earned it from the free-throw line.

Clinging to a 62-61 lead, Cory Smith knocked down a pair of free throws with 1 minute, 3 seconds, left in the game. Marcele Whitner sank a 3-pointer for the Riverhawks to tie the score at 64-all, and Brooks got 1-of-2 free throws to go down at the other end with 13.7 seconds left.

Whitner’s potential go-ahead shot missed its mark, and Carter Giannetto was sent to the foul line with 0.9 seconds left. He made the first and missed the second, but got his own rebound as time expired.

Kyle Smith cashed in six 3-pointers to join Brooks with a team-high 18 points. Giannetto and Rogelio Ceren scored nine points apiece, and Jacob Thiessen tallied eight points off the bench.

Giannetto led the Bobcats with eight rebounds.

“I think Carter has a good understanding that he needs to continue to play hard,” Appel said. “There’s more to it than making shots. Obviously it’s been frustrating for him, but we’re just being positive and encouraging. Continue to take good shots — when he’s open, we know they’ll fall. He’s a good shooter, but just continue to play hard and continue to be a leader that he is — that’s important for our team too.”

Ty Sanchez-Evans led Mason City with 18 points and Whitner finished with 17. Ayden Mosley added 11 points for the Riverhawks.

Marshalltown is back at home next week with games Tuesday against Des Moines Lincoln and Friday with Fort Dodge.

Marshalltown 66, Mason City 64

At Mason City

MARSHALLTOWN (1-4, 1-0) — Carter Giannetto 3 3-4 9, Treshaun Brooks 6 5-8 18, Kyle Smith 6 0-0 18, Cory Smith 1 2-2 4, Rogelio Ceren 3 1-2 9, Jacob Thiessen 3 0-0 8, Gatleel Joar 0 0-0 0, Davis Ragland 0 0-0 0, Tate Riang 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 22 11-16 66.

MASON CITY (0-4, 0-2) — Drew Hobart 1 0-0 3, Marcele Whitner 7 1-1 17, Logan Eide 1 1-2 3, Ayden Mosley 4 2-3 11, Ty Sanchez-Evans 7 3-3 18, Drayden Witt 0 5-6 5, DeAndre Judon 0 0-0 0, Brayden Miller 2 0-0 4, Noah Millsap 0 0-0 0, Gabe Ries 1 0-0 3. TOTALS 23 12-15 64.

MHS 14 19 20 13 — 66

MASON CITY 17 11 15 21 — 64

3-Point Goals–MHS 11 (K. Smith 6, Thiessen 2, Ceren 2, Brooks), Mason City 6 (Whitner 2, Hobart, Mosley, Ries, Sanchez-Evans). Team Fouls–MHS 19, Mason City 17. Fouled Out–none.