The Norwalk boys basketball team’s seventh straight victory was also their most noteworthy of the season Friday night as the Warriors handed Class 4A fifth-ranked Indianola its first conference loss of the season, 59-49, in Norwalk.
Indianola won the girls game 52-35, taking control behind a 16-3 third-quarter run after Norwalk had forced a 23-all tie early in the second half. Both games were carried live on 94.3 KNIA and also streamed on the Warrior Productions YouTube channel.
The Norwalk and Indianola boys put on a great show in front of a large gathering at Norwalk’s brand new gymnasium. The Warriors started fast with a 12-4 run, the Indians answered with a 15-5 surge and it was back-and-forth for most of the night. Trailing 34-33 late in the third, Norwalk landed the knockout punch with a 16-3 spurt that included two three-pointers and eight points from senior guard Jack Brown.
Junior Redek Born and Brown combined to make 7-of-8 fourth-quarter free throws and both finished with 16 points. Cameron Thomas hit a pair of early treys and scored 10 points while Braeden Carlson and Aidan Harder both added eight. The Warriors also continued a stretch of great defensive play, holding Indianola 16 points below their season average.
Norwalk head coach Aaron Pelzer was pleased with his team’s poise throughout the game and their focus in playing one possession at a time.
“I’m extremely proud of our guys because going into tonight I told them, ‘It’s going to be a players game. There’s not going to be as much a coach can do in this type of environment to help you out on the floor,’” Pelzer said. “I thought our guys stuck together, fought through some adversity and defended every possession of the game. I feel really good for our guys right now.”
Norwalk improved to 11-3 overall and 7-3 in the Little Hawkeye Conference, tied for second place with Newton. Indianola is now 14-2 and 9-1, respectively. Brayden Drea led the Indians with 15 points, Brady Blake scored 11 and Dakota Heimbaugh added 10.
In the girls game, Indianola led 19-8 early in the second period before the Warriors rallied by converting a series of Indian turnovers into transition baskets. It was Indianola that capitalized on turnovers in the second half, outscoring Norwalk 29-14 after intermission. The Class 4A 12th-ranked Indians, now 9-8 overall and 7-3 in the Little Hawkeye, were paced by Gillian Smith’s three three-pointers and 18 points. Kendall McDaniel added 13.
Bailey Birmingham finished with 22 points and five steals for Norwalk, which dropped to 3-13 overall and 2-8 in the conference.
Both Norwalk squads return to action today at Ames, with the girls game starting at 2:30 p.m. Indianola hosts Grinnell on Tuesday night.