The Ballard Bombers men's basketball completed their Raccoon River Conference championship run in dominant fashion Friday night, defeating the Winterset Huskies boys basketball 75-43 on the road to improve to 20-1 overall and 15-1 in league play.

Ballard dictated tempo from the opening tip, building a 15-9 first-quarter lead behind defensive pressure and second-chance opportunities.  The Bombers extended the margin in the second quarter with a 25-point outburst, taking a 40-24 advantage into halftime.

The separation continued after the break.  Ballard outscored Winterset 21-10 in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 61-34 and effectively putting the game out of reach.  A controlled fourth quarter secured the 32-point victory.

The Bombers were highly efficient offensively, shooting 31-of-58 (53.4 percent) from the field and assisting on 20 of their 31 made baskets.  They also dominated the glass with a 36-19 rebounding advantage and limited themselves to just 10 turnovers.

Easton Ersland led Ballard with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting while adding eight rebounds and two blocked shots. E van Abbott scored 14 points on 6-of-7 from the floor, and Jude Gibson contributed 13 points and nine assists, consistently creating high-percentage looks.  Parker Miller added 11 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, and Mojoe Nybong provided nine efficient points off the bench.

Ballard will wrap up the regular season Thursday - February 19 at home against Dallas Center-Grimes Mustangs men's basketball in an FR/JV/V night beginning at 4:30 PM, before turning its focus to postseason play.

Photo Credit: Davidson Photography