New London boys skate past Cardinal

NEW LONDON — New London picked up a Southeast Iowa Super Conference win against South Division rival Cardinal Tuesday night at home, 66-55.

The Tiger’s Devin Swanson scored 25 points to help lead the Tigers to a win.

Early on, the Comet’s controlled the pace, but the Tigers kept it close. New London was down by only as much as six points in the first quarter.

A late three by Cardinal’s Blaine Bryant gave the Comets a 18-12 lead at the end of the first.

In the second quarter, New London began to click. The Tigers went on a 9-0 run through the second quarter of play — which included four made foul shots from New London’s Torren Riley due to a shooting and technical foul — giving them their first lead of the game 23-22.

“We started to get some stops,” New London head coach Bryant Porter said. “We started to hit some shots. That’s what happened. A couple fifty fifty balls went our way. It changed the complexion of the game.”

Cardinal answered back with another three late in the quarter, this time by Landon Becker, to put themselves back on top at the half, 25-23.

In the second half New London took the reins of the game. New London scored 19 points in the third quarter to Cardinals 12. Ten of the Tiger’s points came from Devin Swanson, who scored just four points in the first half.

“The scoring started at the free-throw line,” Swanson said. “I’m not the best at three throws. I hit two or three in a row and popped out and shot a three, knocked it down and then hit a couple more. They started coming out on me so I started to work inside, and kicking it out. The team was looking for me too so all I could do is make it for them.”

In the fourth, New London continued to hang on. Swanson went on to score 11 points in the fourth. The Tigers scored 21 points to end the game.

The Comets came within five points, before New London pulled away.

“They’re a really aggressive and physical team,” Cardinal head coach Michael Strasko said. “In the first we kinda let them off the hook. We’d be on a strong drive and then we pass out of it and not really put any pressure on the rim. When we did we saw a lot of success. We were extremely efficient tonight, but we had to many turnovers.”

Along with Swanson’s scoring, Kade Benjamin added 14 points. TaShaun Donaldson scored 10. Kooper Schulte chipped in six. Torren Riley had four and Rylan Martin three.

Cardinal was led by Dawson Lewis’s 22. Landon Becker scored 18. Blaine Bryant added nine. Griffin Greiner had four and Reese Pedersen, two.

Comments: hunter.moeller@southeastiowaunion.com