By Tony Chapman
sports.desk@theindependent.com

The Tigers used a 32-10 run over a 14-minute stretch in the second half which proved to be the difference. The run turned HC's 43-34 lead in a 66-53 deficit with 4 minutes, 11 seconds remaining in the game.

"We just didn't have guys step up and make shots like we need to," Hastings coach Lance Creech said. "We don't really have a guy right now who can break a guy down at the end of the shot clock and make a play.

"We need to find someone who is willing to step up."

Post Bobby Kempf was that guy on Saturday. He had a game-high 28 points on 9-for-14 shooting and he also made 10 of 14 free throws. But the rest of the Broncos starters had just 15 points and were a combined 7-for-20 from the field.

After Hastings scored the final 13 points of the first half to take a 38-34 lead, it promptly scored the first five points of the second half to grab a 43-34 lead. Then it went anemic.

The Tigers got five 3-point baskets and two buckets down low from Ike Muoneke to build a 58-49 lead and they were never seriously threatened.

"I told our players that we needed to start fast in the second half and not get down," Tiger coach John Hemenway said. "Then they came out and extended the lead. But I was glad with the way we fought back. The 3-point shot kept us in and we made some big shots to get back into the game."

Dakota Wesleyan staved off a late Hastings run, as the Broncos cut the lead to 66-62 on a Waid Vontz 3-point basket with 2:36 left. But Muoneke, who finished with nine points, answered with a drive down the left side of the lane and the Tigers sealed the game at the free throw line.

"This wasn't a physical or emotional loss, but mentally we just aren't making very many good plays," Creech said. "We just get going so fast and then we sputter and turn the ball over."

The Broncos managed just 8-for-27 shooting in the second half and made four shots during Wesleyan's decisive run in the second half. The Tigers, meanwhile, connected on all five of their 3-point shots during the stretch and finished the contest 11-for-26 from beyond the arc.

Colby Fitzgerald led the way for the Tigers (20-5, 10-3 GPAC) with 17 points, while Andrew Lasche added 12 and Chase Walder had 11 points off the bench. Freshman Derrick Spooner had nine points for the Broncos, who have lost eight of their past 10 contests and dropped to 17-8 overall, 8-7 in the GPAC.

DAKOTA WESLEYAN (70)

Broughton 1-6 3-7 5, Muoneke 4-7 1-2 9, Vontz 1-3 1-1 3, Fitzgerald 6-13 2-3 17, Lasche 4-10 0-0 12, Ro. Nelson 0-0 0-0 0, Walder 4-6 0-1 11, Wiebe 3-5 0-0 7, Sc. Nelson 2-7 1-2 6. Totals 25-57 9-18 70.

HASTINGS (64)

Etzelmiller 1-5 0-0 2, Wamsley 1-2 0-0 2, Kempf 9-14 10-14 28, Spooner 4-8 1-3 9, Prochaska 1-5 0-0 2, Slough 3-10 0-0 8, Wissing 1-3 0-0 3, Vontz 3-9 0-0 8, Zelasney 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 24-58 11-17 64.

HalftimeHC 38, DWU 34. Three-point goalsDWU 4-15 (Vontz 0-2, Fitzgerald 3-8, Lasche 4-9, Walder 3-4, Sc. Nelson 1-3), HC 5-18 (Etzelmiller 0-2, Spooner 0-3, Prochaska 0-1, Slough 2-5, Wissing 1-2, Vontz 2-5). ReboundsDWU 38 (Broughton 9), HC 38 (Kempf, Wissing, Vontz 7). Fouled outnone. AssistsDWU 14 (Lasche 5), HC 14 (Vontz 4). StealsDWU 9, HC 6. Turnovers DWU 13, HC 14. Total foulsDWU 16, HC 20. Technicals none.

* women

Hastings College 72, Dakota Wesleyan 42

In traditional Hastings fashion, the sixth-ranked Broncos used a harassing defense to beat Dakota Wesleyan 72-42 in the first game of the day.

The Broncos (21-4, 10-3 GPAC) scored the final six points of the first half in the last three minutes to build a 30-18 advantage and then built the lead to 51-31 in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

Hastings coach Tony Hobson said he like the Broncos' effort, especially on defense and in rebounding. The Broncos forced 17 turnovers and held Dakota Wesleyan (13-12, 7-6) to 18-for-47 shooting from the floor while also grabbing a 48-24 rebounding advantage.

"It was good to see have some intensity to start the game," Hobson said. "I think you can tell if you are ready to play by how hard you're playing defense and if you are rebounding. We did those two things pretty well today."

Hastings used a short spurt at the end of the first half to grab command. Leading just 24-18 with 2:43 left, the Broncos scored the final six points before the break to take a 12-point lead to the locker room.

"When you have a 12-point lead and the other team only score 18 points, that really helps," Hobson said. "If the score was 50-38 at the half, then you would feel a little different. But I felt really good about how we were guarding."

Nine players scored for HC with Lindsay Ducey and Central City graduate Kay Broekemier leading the way with 17 points. Rachael VanKirk added 10. Ducey added nine rebounds, while Breanna Lien had three points with her game-high 11 rebounds.

Allison Johnson had 11 points and Adria Pazour had 10 for the Tigers.

DAKOTA WESLEYAN (42)

Johnston 1-2 0-1 2, Pazour 5-10 0-1 10, Al. Johnson 4-9 2-2 11, As. Johnson 2-6 0-0 5, Mortenson 1-4 0-0 3, Lusk 0-1 0-0 0, Gard 0-2 0-0 0, Austin 2-4 0-0 5, Karst 0-1 0-0 0, Noteboom 2-4 0-0 4, Dvoracek 1-1 0-0 2, Hemmer 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 18-47 2-4 42.

HASTINGS (72)

Ducey 6-9 5-5 17, VanKirk 3-7 2-2 10, Yamashita 3-4 0-0 8, Broekemeier 6-11, 1-1 17, Isherwood 1-5 0-0 2, Farmer 0-0 0-0 0, Faimon 1-5 1-2 4, Cambridge 0-0 0-1 0, Schmaderer 1-7 0-0 2, McKeon 3-7 1-1 9, Kulus 0-2 0-0 0, Lien 1-6 1-3 3. Totals 25-63 11-15 72.

HalftimeHC 30, DWU 18. Three-point goalsDWU 4-15 (Al. Johnson 1-4, As. Johnson 1-4, Mortenson 1-2, Lusk 0-1, Gard 0-1, Austin 1-3), HC 11-24 (VanKirk 2-3, Yamashita 2-2, Broekemeier 4-6, Isherwood 0-1, Faimon 1-3, Schmaderer 0-4, McKeon 2-4, Kulus 0-1). ReboundsDWU 24 (Pazour 6), HC 48 (Lien 11, Ducey 9). Fouled outnone. AssistsDWU 8, HC 19 (Ducey, Cambridge 4). StealsDWU 10 (Pazour 3), HC 10 (Schmaderer 3). Turnovers DWU 17, HC 13. Total foulsDWU 17, HC 13. Technicalsnone.