New London drops two to Holy Trinity

NEW LONDON ? Both the New London boys? and girls? basketball teams struggled in their matchups against Holy Trinity on Tuesday night, the boys dropping a 62-37 decision and the girls falling by a score of 45-25.

Through the first half of the girls? game, neither team was having much luck at the basket ? the Crusaders were up 15-6 at halftime.

In the third quarter, both teams picked up the pace, Holy Trinity scoring 12 points to New London?s 11 to make it 27-17 going into the final quarter.

But that?s when the Crusaders found the basket and blew open the game, outscoring the Tigers 18-8 for a 20-point win.

Caitlin Rice led the Tigers with eight points, followed closely by Addie Lounsbury with seven and Samantha Koontz with six. Bria Mears and Chrley Lorber chipped in two points each.

Mears pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds. Lorber grabbed 10 boards, Lounsbury grabbed seven and Rice added four.

Koontz had two thefts on the night and Mears dished five assists.

The New London girls are now 2-7 on the season and 1-7 in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division.

The boys dropped to 1-7 on the season and in the conference with their loss to Holy Trinity.

The Tigers struggled from tipoff, with the Crusaders going ahead 18-7 by the end of the first quarter. It was 31-16 in Holy Trinity?s favor at the half.

The Tigers matched the Crusaders in the third quarter, with 12 points for each team, but couldn?t gain any ground.

Matayo Christianer was the high scorer for the Tigers, putting in 15 points. Shawn Strothman and Justin Hill added eight points each, while Josh Francis scored four and Dalton Dudley chipped in two.

Christianer and Cameron Wastson each had four boards on the night. Tristan Kadel pulled down three rebounds, and six other Tigers had at least one.

Hill claimed three thefts in the game and Watson had three assists.

The Tigers will play again on Friday, Jan. 6, when they host another conference opponent, Central Lee. The JV boys start the night with their game at 4:30, followed by the varsity girls and then varsity boys.