OSKALOOSA — It appeared like Tyce Sarver was going to be the only Oskaloosa player to provide the offensive production as the Indians opened the season at home against Fairfield on Monday night.

The senior knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and added a basket to score all of the Indians’ eight points in the first quarter.

Eventually he got offensive support from Drew Richmond, Clay Tucker and Spencer Medlin as the quartet led the Indians to a convincing 46-31 victory over the Trojans.

Fairfield turned the ball over on its first three possessions before Sarver broke the ice with a 3-pointer with 5:51 left in the opening quarter. His field goal at the 5:25 mark gave the Indians (1-0) a 5-0 lead, but that would be the last points they would get until Sarver’s 3 with 1:31 remaining in the period put Oskaloosa on top 8-7.

The Trojans held a slim 9-8 lead late in the quarter on a bucket by Kyle Weirup. Sarver had one of his seven steals in the final moments of the period, but he couldn’t get the shot off before the buzzer to end the period.

The second quarter went back-and-forth as the lead changed hands seven times and the teams to intermission tied at 19.

That would be the last time the Trojans would get close to the Indians as Richmond scored on an alley oop pass from Austin Redlich and Sarver nailed a shot from the right wing to put Oskaloosa ahead 23-19 early in the third quarter.

Oskaloosa would extend the lead to 30-21 on a Richmond floater in the lane, an offensive rebound by Medlin and a 3-pointer from Sarver.

After that, the Indians never looked back as their defense limited the Trojans to five field goals in the final 16 minutes.

First-year Oskaloosa coach Zach Tremmel said the team played much smarter in the second half by being more patient on the offensive end of the court.

“Of the 22 shots we took the first half, 16 of them were 3s and they weren’t falling,” he said. “We talked to them at halftime and told them we had to pass the ball around instead of shooting 3s. We did a much better job of running our offense and our defense picked up.

I thought we rebounded well in the second half. They were much bigger than us and we had to play bigger. Spencer played an excellent game on the defensive end and getting rebounds.”

Medlin grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds with seven coming after missed shots by Fairfield.

The Indians return to the home court Thursday with a game against Chariton.



Oskaloosa 46, Fairfield 31

FF    9    10    5    7    —    31

O    8    11    15    12    —    46

FAIRFIELD (31) — Matt Carr 2 0-0 4, Spencer Peterman 3 2-2 8, Kyle Weirup 1 1-2 3, Darrin Dimmitt 2 0-0 5, Vincent Horras 1 3-5 5, Jordan Whitney 1 0-0 2, Joseph Hietpas 1 0-2 2, Landon Gamrath 1 0-0 2. Totals 12 6-11 31.

3-point goal — 1 (Dimmitt). Total fouls — 15. Turnovers — 18.

OSKALOOSA (46) — Drew Richmond 2 2-2 6, Clay Tucker 2 0-0 5, Tyce Sarver 7 7-7 24, Austin Redlich 2 0-0 4, Spencer Medlin 2 1-4 5, Ryan Reiter 1 0-0 2, Jordan Lowry 0 0-0 0. Max Johnson 0 0-0 0. Ryder Curtis 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 10-13 46.

3-point goals — 4 (Sarver 3, Tucker 1). Rebounds — 26 (Medlin 11, Sarver 5, Richmond 4 Reiter 2, Tucker 1, Redlich 1, Lowry 1, Johnson 1). Steals — 11 (Sarver 7, Redlich 3, Medlin 1). Assists — 8 (Redlich 4, Sarver 1, Tucker 1, Richmond 1, Medlin 1). Block — 1 (Medlin). Total fouls — 11. Turnovers — 13.