Ames tops Jefferson, 30-26, in a girls’ basketball season opener

CEDAR RAPIDS — It’s going to get better.

It’s got to get better.

“Most of these kids were either on the JV-1 team or are freshmen coming in,” Cedar Rapids Jefferson girls’ basketball coach Matt Hoeppner said.

“I told them, they’ve got to compete, and they did that.”

Despite making just 7 of 45 shots from the field, Ames left town Friday night with a season-opening 30-26 victory over the J-Hawks at Jefferson High School.

Moments after Morgan Hewitt gave the J-Hawks a late 24-23 lead with a 3-pointer, Ames’ Anisa Percival answered with a trey of her own, and the Little Cyclones headed west at 1-0.

An offensive showcase, this most definitely was not.

It took 7 minutes, 10 seconds for either team to connect on a field goal (that was Percival with a 3-pointer). And it took 9:10 for somebody to break through with a second-half basket (Jefferson’s Danielle Boche with a steal and layup).

It will get better. It has to, right?

Despite cold shooting of its own (7 of 35 from the field, 9 of 21 from the free-throw line), plus 21 first-half turnovers, Jefferson (0-1) had a chance to win it.

Like Hoeppner said, the J-Hawks competed.

“You can’t turn it over 20-some times, and miss 12 free throws,” he said.

Down 19-12 at halftime, the J-Hawks crept closer from the foul line and were within 20-17 heading into the final quarter. Madi Mercil’s drive cut the deficit to 23-21, then Hewitt took a feed from the driving Boche to put Jefferson in front, fleetingly, with 2:20 left.

Percival countered, though, and Karsyn Pankonen’s steal and three-point play sealed it with 0:17 left.

Hewitt led the J-Hawks with nine points, all from long range. Boche corralled 10 rebounds.

Percival recorded 11 points and seven rebounds for Ames. Victoria Williams didn’t score a point, but registered six rebounds and five steals.

Ames 30, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 26

At C.R. Jefferson

AMES (30): Karsyn Pankonen 1-6 2-8 4, Natalya Deardorff 1-3 1-3 3, Anisa Percival 3-14 3-6 11, Haley Prakashan 0-8 4-9 4, Abbey McGuire 0-3 0-0 0, Victoria Williams 0-6 0-0 0, Macy Button 0-3 2-2 2, Morgan Wahl 2-2 2-2 6. Totals 7-45 14-30 30.

C.R. JEFFERSON (26): Ava Erger 0-6 2-2 2, Sophia Kevitt 1-6 2-3 4, Morgan Hewitt 3-9 0-2 9, Kymara Atwood-Mayes 0-1 1-2 1, Lillie Spicer 0-3 1-2 1, Danielle Boche 1-4 1-6 3, Madi Mercil 1-4 2-4 4, Lexi Haller 1-1 0-0 2, Ryiah Nickell 0-1 0-0 0, Keleigh Yanacheak 0-0 0-0 0, Addyson Luvan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 7-35 9-21 26.

Ames 7 12 1 10 — 30

C.R. Jefferson 2 10 5 9 — 26

3-point goals: Ames 2-22 (Pankonen 0-2, Deardorff 0-1, Percival 2-10, Prakashan 0-5, Williams 0-3, Button 0-1), Jefferson 3-13 (Erger 0-4, Hewitt 3-5, Boche 0-3, Nickell 0-1). Team fouls: Ames 22, Jefferson 25. Fouled out: Spicer. Rebounds: Ames 36 (Percival 7), Jefferson 42 (Boche 10). Assists: Ames 2 (Pankonen, Prakashan), Jefferson 3 (Boche 2). Steals: Ames 16 (Williams 5), Jefferson 4 (Kevitt 2). Turnovers: Ames 14, Jefferson 24.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com