Rebels overcome Hawks' early lead to claim win

Sioux Central rallies from 16-1 deficit to defeat Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 43-41

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The boys' basketball game between Sioux Central and Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn proved that a big early lead doesn't always guarantee victory at the end. Despite having a double-digit lead in the first half, the Hawks would suffer a 43-41 loss on Feb. 5 in Hartley to end the regular season.

Why it matters

This game highlights the importance of maintaining focus and intensity throughout the entire game, as an early lead can quickly evaporate if a team becomes complacent or fails to adapt to their opponent's adjustments.

The details

The Hawks built a 16-1 advantage in the first quarter thanks to good ball movement on offense and opportunistic defense that forced several turnovers. But Sioux Central regrouped in the second quarter and narrowed the deficit to 27-24. The Hawks' offensive struggles continued in the third quarter, as they were limited to six points. Sioux Central completed the comeback and went in front, 35-33. H-M-S scored first in the fourth quarter, but the Rebels answered with a three-pointer to regain the lead and then extended it to 43-37. Baskets by Alex Billings and Jackson Vogt would narrow the deficit to 43-41.

  • The game was played on Feb. 5, 2026.
  • The Hawks built a 16-1 lead in the first quarter.

The players

Caden Douma

Scored 11 points for the Hawks.

Alex Billings

Scored 10 points and had 5 rebounds and 3 steals for the Hawks.

Isaac Schierholz

Scored 8 points, had 6 rebounds and 7 assists for the Hawks.

Lawton Schiphoff

Scored 6 points and had 6 rebounds for the Hawks.

Jackson Vogt

Scored 6 points and had 3 rebounds and 3 assists for the Hawks.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Things started to change after they made a couple of baskets. That allowed them to set up their pressure, and that was able to slow us down quite a bit. We didn't have a lot of turnovers against their pressure but it just took us out of our game offensively.”

— Naet Hoaglund, Hawk coach (hartleysentinel.com)

“I was really proud of our effort on the defensive end. Sioux Central has a couple of really good players that we were able to contain. We had our opportunities with some open looks down the stretch but couldn't convert.”

— Naet Hoaglund, Hawk coach (hartleysentinel.com)

What’s next

H-M-S (14-7) will play West Lyon (10-12) in the second round of the Class 2A district tournament, on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Hartley.

The takeaway

This game demonstrates that a strong start is not enough to guarantee victory, as teams must maintain their focus and intensity throughout the entire game. It also highlights the importance of making adjustments and responding to the opponent's changes in strategy.