NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT — STC junior Barrett Jesina scores against Benton.

The South Tama boys basketball team had their chances against Benton on Tuesday, Jan. 14. But Benton junior Eli Patterson took the game over, pouring in 38 points, to lead the Bobcats to a 74-39 victory.

Benton got off to a fast start, hitting three 3-pointers on their first three possessions to take a quick 9-0 lead in the game. But the Trojans responded and went on a 12-7 run. Led by junior Cyrell Etzen’s 6 points, STC also got baskets from juniors Barrett Jesina and Tanner Large. When junior Nick Upah hit a shot at the buzzer of the first quarter, the Trojans had cut Benton’s lead to 16-12.

As the second quarter began, STC had the opportunity they were looking for. The Bobcats committed three early turnovers, and when Etzen hit another field goal, the Trojans had cut the lead to 17-14–the closest margin of the game. But cold shooting hurt STC the rest of the quarter and they managed only one free throw by Large until halftime. Combined with Benton hitting three more 3-pointers in the last minute of the quarter, the Bobcats took a 33-15 lead into the break.

The third quarter became an individual scoring battle between Benton’s Patterson and STC’s Etzen. Etzen started off scoring the first 12 points after the half for the Trojans. With the addition of three-point baskets by junior Marion Harris and senior Jerome Kapayou, the Trojans had their highest scoring quarter with a total of 18 points. But Patterson was too much, answering Etzen basket-for-basket. Patterson also scored Benton’s first 12 points of the third quarter. In a stretch from late in the second quarter, to early in the fourth quarter, Patterson scored 30 of Benton’s 36 points. When all was said and done in the third quarter dual, Benton took a 50-33 lead into the final eight minutes.

As the fourth quarter unfolded, STC managed only two field goals–both 3-points baskets coming from Large and Harris. Benton continued to pull away and finished off the Trojans, 74-39.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT — Trojan junior Nick Upah looks for a passing lane against Benton.

For the game, Patterson finished with an impressive stat-line of 38 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. STC was led by Etzen in both points (20) and rebounds (9). Large and Harris both added 6 points for the Trojans.

With the loss, the Trojans dropped to 0-11 on the year. STC hosts Williamsburg on Friday night, Jan. 24. They travel to Vinton-Shellsburg on Jan. 28 and return home to face Grinnell on Tuesday night, Feb. 4.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT — STC's Barrett Jesina (15) and Jerome Kapayou (25) put the defensive trap on Benton.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT — Junior Cyrell Etzen scores 2 of his 20 points for the Trojans.