The “Maddox Kelley Game” keeps Solon boys basketball team undefeated

SOLON - The Solon boys basketball team had a guard absolutely go off Friday night.

No, not THAT guard.

It was Maddox Kelley that had 24 points and 11 rebounds, both game highs, in the Spartans’ 64-50 win over biggest rival Mount Vernon.

Everyone has gotten so used to seeing Tate McCollum do most of the scoring for Class 3A’s sixth-ranked team. The son of University of Iowa head hoops coach Ben McCollum averages over 21 points per game and has made an immediate and huge impact since coming over from Waukee Northwest.

But on a night when he went just 4 for 16 from the floor, it was fellow junior Kelley that starred. Really starred.

“Usually I’m a defensive guy,” Kelley said. “I think it was just my team. They were guarding Tate pretty heavily because he’s a huge scorer for us. So when they do that, they are not as heavily guarding us. So when I get the ball, the coaches are just telling me to use my speed.”

Kelley confessed he did not realize the total damage he did in this game, expressing surprise at both his point and rebound totals. He came in averaging 6.7 points per game.

But he was able to get downhill on the drive and get out on the fast break. He had 17 points in the second half, as Solon (14-0) used a 13-0 run in the final couple minutes or so of the third quarter to go from four points down to 11 ahead.

Mount Vernon (9-3) cut its deficit to five in the fourth but got no closer. Kellen Haverback led the Mustangs with 17 points, but went just 7 for 21 from the field.

The teams played a game Dec. 16 at Solon that the Spartans won by a point.

“Transition is always what we want to do, and Maddox Kelley was just fantastic tonight,” said Solon Coach Jared Galpin. “He got some big rebounds and just turned it up the floor. Put the pressure on them in transition and get them on their heels ... He gave us a real big spark in the second half, the spark that we needed.”

Kelley, coming off a superb football season as a wide receiver, leads 3A in steals. He averaged just over eight points a game last season in basketball as a sophomore on the varsity.

“I think especially against these guys, in the Mount Vernon gym, this is huge,” he said. “We knew it was going to be tough.”

McCollum added 13 points and Grant Gordon 10 for Solon. Maddox Thede and Luke Rushford added 10 points each for Mount Vernon.

AT MOUNT VERNON

SOLON (64): Kaden Hoeper 1-4 0-0 2, Tanner Heims 1-4 0-0 2, Grant Gordon 3-8 3-3 10, Maddox Kelley 10-16 2-2 24, Tate McCollum 4-16 3-4 13, Simon Einwalter 0-2 2-2 2, Luke Merrick 2-2 0-0 4, Ethan Ulch 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 23-54 10-11 64.

MOUNT VERNON (50): Brogan Meyer 0-2 0-0 0, Seth Rushford 4-9 0-0 9, Kellen Haverback 7-21 1-1 17, Luke Rushford 3-6 2-5 10, Stratton Ellyson 0-2 0-0 0, Maddox Thede 4-5 2-2 10, Landon Wilson 0-0 0-2 0, Tommy Rhomberg 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 20-49 5-10 50.

Halftime - Solon 29, Mount Vernon 27. 3-point goals - Solon 5-17 (Gordon 1-3, Kelley 2-5, McCollum 2-9), Mount Vernon 5-18 (S. Rushford 1-4, Haverback 2-8, L. Rushford 2-3, Ellyson 0-2, Rhomberg 0-1). Rebounds - Solon 37 (Kelley 11), Mount Vernon 25 (S. Rushford, Haverback 5). Total fouls - Solon 14, Mount Vernon 15. Fouled out - None. Turnovers - Solon 12. Mount Vernon 14.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com