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Comets break ‘Stangs, 80-66, for 7th straight win

Press photo by John Burbridge Charles City’s Jack Molstead (No. 2) gets to a loose ball ahead of Independence’s Ethan McCormack during Monday’s non-conference basketball game, which the Comets won 80-66.
Press photo by John Burbridge
Charles City’s Jack Molstead (No. 2) gets to a loose ball ahead of Independence’s Ethan McCormack during Monday’s non-conference basketball game, which the Comets won 80-66.
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — The 3-point shot has continued to affect basketball more dramatically since it became vogue nearly 40 years ago.

Watch an NBA Classic game from the early to mid-1980s even after the novelty wore off and compare it to the way the NBA is played today. It almost appears to be two completely different games.

But even back then, the 3-point shot has always been a go-to option for teams trailing big hoping to bomb their way back into contention.

After going into the fourth quarter behind 18 points against the hosting Charles City Comets in boys non-conference action on Monday night, the Independence Mustangs began to fire away from beyond the arc — often well-behind the arc — and made things a little interesting at times.

But the ‘Stangs probably could have used a 4-point shot — and there’s actually casual talk about incorporating that — as the Comets held them at bay before winning 80-66 to extend their winning streak to seven.

Two-time all-state guard Jack Molstead recorded a double-double with game-highs in points (34) and assists (11) while leading the Comets (8-3).

But perhaps the most impressive assist of the game was one that Molstead was the recipient of. About 10 feet from crossing the timeline, Charles City sophomore JJ Ritter led Molstead in stride with a nifty over-hand-motion bounce pass resulting in a left-handed finish.

Soon after, Ritter drove to the hole for a basket and a foul as the converted 3-point play gave the Comets a 15-point lead (51-36) late in the third quarter.

Ritter had 15 points, and junior Bradley Andrews — who had three 3-point shots himself — had 16 points for the Comets.

The Mustangs cut the lead to 7 (60-53) with one of several 25-foot-plus 3-pointers by Sean Geertsema. But Andrews for the most part put the game away with a driving 3-point play after a Mustang defender bit on his head fake to put Charles City up by 12 with less than two minutes in regulation.

Logan Schmitt scored 18, Ethan McCormick added 16, Geertsma had 11 and Jaxon Miller scored 10 for the Mustangs (2-11).

Charles City nearly got another double-double from Tait Arndt, who scored 9 points and led all rebounders with 12 boards — six offensive.

Three of those offensive boards came after Arndt refused to be denied from retrieving three-straight missed shots before finally getting the fourth shot to fall through to give Charles City a 21-10 lead late in the first quarter.

CHARLES CITY 80,
INDEPENDENCE 66

Scoring By Quarters

INDEPENDENCE 12 15 11 28 – 66

CHARLES CITY 21 15 20 24 — 80

INDEPENDENCE — Jaxon Miller 10, Kaleb Lamphier 8, Ethan McCormick 16, Sean Geertsema 11, Blake Bartz 3, Logan Schmitt 18.

CHARLES CITY — Jack Molstead 34, JJ Ritter 15, Marcus Cranshaw 3, Colton Slinger 3, Bradley Andrews 16, Tait Arndt 9.

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