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Clutch plays give WB 1-point win over WL
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · February 05, 2025
After an eight-point lead entering the fourth quarter evaporated, the West Branch boys’ basketball team needed a jolt in the final minutes of its Jan. 28 home game against West Liberty.
Bears’ junior Brandon Pedersen provided the crucial spark, catching the ball on the left wing and letting a 3-pointer fly with a quick motion akin to a gunslinger. The shot went in, giving West Branch a 50-47 edge with 2:46 as the Bears immediately called timeout.
“All I know is I had to make it,” Pedersen said of his go-ahead 3-pointer.
The play sparked a tight 54-53 win in a battle of two of the hottest teams in the River Valley Conference. With the victory, the Bears, who improved to 7-9, won five of their last six games with the lone blemish coming to a Mid-Prairie squad that is 14-2 as of Jan. 30. The Comets, who fell to 8-9, also overcame an early-season slump, as West Liberty also claimed five of its last six with a loss to Mid-Prairie.
Pedersen, like the Bears, has elevated his game significantly during the hot stretch. Counting the Jan. 28 win, the junior has scored 10 or more points in each of the team’s wins since the run began Jan. 10 at home against Camanche. Pedersen said the team’s success has come as a result of “moving the ball more,” avoiding turnovers, and “playing as a team.” Individually, the junior added that he has improved by “not getting down on myself when I miss.”
Bears Head Coach Jason Kern said he believed Pedersen had the potential to step up in the key spot.
“That’s how he was last year in JV,” he said. “Had a slow start and then the second half of the season he looked like a varsity player. Brandon’s been playing really well lately, and his defense is really leading that offense.”
The coach added that the junior is ready to shoot anytime he touches the ball and that the team as a whole has seen a marked increase in confidence shooting the ball after a slow start to the year offensively.
The two teams battled in the early moments of the game. Brennen Dale started the scoring for West Branch on a pair of free throws before assisting a Brandon Pickett layup to knot the game at four. The Bears had another answer after another West Liberty score with an offensive rebound and layup to trail 7-6. Pickett later tied the game at nine on a 3-pointer, West Liberty had four unanswered before calling timeout leading 13-9 with 1:59 left in the period
The Comets kept the pressure on the Bears, scoring seven points down the stretch of the first period. West Branch treaded water with a Jayden Harris layup off a nice drive to the basket and a Lincoln Naber layup set up by Dale, but West Branch still trailed 21-13 entering the second.
Harris worked to the free throw line, getting both shots at the charity stripe as the gap closed to 21-15. Center Michael Montgomery, who saw his first varsity action after an injury suffered during football season sidelined him for the majority of the year, had his first points of the year on a pair of free throws.
Moments later, Pedersen cut the gap to 21-20 with a 3-pointer. A Nathan Hills 3-pointer knotted things at 23 all, while Pedersen put the Bears ahead for the first time with another 3-pointer. Pedersen snapped a 5-0 West Liberty run later on with yet another 3-pointer to cap off an impressive first half. The Comets snuck in two points before the end of the half to lead 30-29 after two quarters.
Following the intermission, Hills helped the Bears regain the lead at 32-30 with a 3-pointer. Pedersen worked his way to the line, adding a point on a free throw. Hills then set up a Harris 3-pointer as the Comets called timeout down 36-30 with 3:31 left in the third.
Ethan Miller entered the scoring ledger for West Branch after the reset on a 3-pointer to make it a nine-point game. Harris followed with a 3-pointer to help the Bears lead 42-34 entering the fourth.
The Bears’ offense hit a wall to start the fourth as West Branch called timeout trailing just 42-40 with 6:09 remaining. The cold streak snapped on a Hills 3-pointer assisted by Dale to stretch the edge to five. West Liberty later called timeout facing a 45-43 deficit with 4:25 remaining.
Pickett helped the Bears’ cause with a layup, breaking a tie at 45 before Pedersen’s crucial 3-pointer. Pickett had another impact play with a layup to push the lead to 52-47 with 1:02 left. The Comets would not go away, cutting the gap to 52-49 with 25.5 to play. West Branch then turned the ball over on a five-seconds inbound call despite Dale’s attempt to call timeout as the inbounder. West Liberty nearly knotted the game at 52 all after senior Ryker Dengler nailed a long two-point shot near the 3-point line. The Comets now trailed by one, 52-41 with 18.3 to go at a West Liberty timeout.
The Comets began to play the foul game, burning through their fouls to give in order to enter the bonus as quickly as they could. Pickett eventually strolled to the line in the bonus with 11.4 to play. With both free throws needed to at least guarantee overtime, the senior calmly sunk both shots to give West Branch a 54-51 cushion. The Bears called timeout to set up the final play on defense.
“Truth be told, I was trying to get Pickett the ball there,” Kern said of the final offensive play. “He’s probably our best free throw shooter. Steps up, a senior, big time. Even hitting one there, now you’re up two and they can hit a desperation three. We’re finding a way.”
The Comets had a good look at a 3-pointer by sophomore Joseph Delgado, who had three 3-pointers already in the game, but the shot did not go. West Liberty snagged the offensive rebound and put up a layup to cut the edge to one, but time ran out before the Bears had to inbound to conclude the thrilling RVC South battle.
West Liberty proved to be a worthy opponent, Kern said.
“It’s a big rival,” he said. “I’ve told their coach they’re probably playing better than any team in the conference right now, even though they’ve lost some of these close games. As a ball team, they’ve been pretty good and they’re a senior-led group.”
“You’ve got to lose before you learn how to win,” Kern said of his young squad. “I think we’ve learned why we were losing games. I think this team, obviously, is very youthful and we had two starters out at the beginning of the year. There were a lot of unknowns. Guys were trying to find their roles, and I think we’re started to identify them. They know what each player does well, and get them in their spots.”
The Bears also received a boost with the return of junior Michael Montgomery, who made his return from injury. Montgomery, who has been a regular in the starting lineup and rotation throughout his career, had a modest first game back but gives West Branch another quality option in the frontcourt.
Kern said that the junior’s size and ability would pay dividends while also giving his team “five extra fouls” to counteract a rugged Regina frontcourt heading into a Friday night home battle against the Class 2A No. 9 Regals. The Bears had dropped the first matchup by four points on the road early in the season.
“Biggest rival comes to town, we felt we could have had that one but let it slip away,” Kern said of the anticipated rivalry game. “They’re a physical, hard-nosed team and they know their identity. We know what they want to do. It’s going to be a tough matchup and we’re ready for it.”
1 2 3 4 T
WL 21 9 4 19 53
WB 13 16 13 12 54
West Branch statistics: Nathan Hills 3 3-7 9, 3 3-pointers, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal; Brandon Pedersen 4 4-6 13, 4 3-pointers, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals; Brennen Dale 1 1-2 2, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal; Lincoln Naber 1 1-1 2, 6 rebounds; Jayden Harris 3 3-12 10, 2 3-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Ethan Miller 1 1-5 3, 1 3-pointer, 1 rebound, 1 assist; McGavin Smith 0 0-0 0; Brandon Pickett 5 5-8 13, 1 3-pointer, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Michael Montgomery 0 0-0 2, 2 rebounds. Team totals: 18 18-41 54, 11 3-pointers, 27 rebounds, 15 assists, 6 steals.
West Branch 47, Regina 51
West Branch hosted Regina on Jan. 31 and fell in a close game to the Regals, 51-47.
1 2 3 4 T
Reg 12 14 12 13 51
WB 8 23 13 3 47
West Branch statistics: Nathan Hills 1 1-7 2, 1 rebound, 2 assists; Brandon Pedersen 8 8-11 19, 3 3-pointers, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks; Brennen Dale 1 1-5 4, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; Lincoln Naber 1 1-1 2, 5 rebounds; Jayden Harris 7 7-18 16, 2 3-pointers, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal; Brandon Pickett 1 1-4 2, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block; Michael Montgomery 1 1-2 2, 3 rebounds, 1 steal. Team totals: 20 20-48 47, 5 3-pointers, 23 rebounds, 10 assists, 7 steals, 2 blocks.
Regina statistics: Connor Nicpon 6 6-8 13, 1 3-pointer, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal; Drew Greve 5 5-9 13, 1 3-pointer, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal; Tate Wallace 4 4-10 9, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks; Will Litton 6 6-14 13, 1 3-pointer, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block; Ben Wade 1 1-2 3, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; Tate Lynch 0 0-5 0, 3 rebounds, 1 block. Team totals: 22 22-48 51, 3 3-pointers, 27 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, 4 blocks.
West Branch 42, Keokuk 52
The Bears hosted Keokuk on Monday, falling to the visitors, 52-42.
1 2 3 4 T
Keo 13 12 12 17 52
WB 10 11 6 15 42
West Branch statistics: Nathan Hills 1 1-7 3, 1 3-pointer, 1 assist; Brandon Pedersen 6 6-16 14, 2 3-pointers, 4 rebounds, 2 steals; Brennen Dale 2 2-7 5, 1 3-pointer, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals; Lincoln Naber 0 0-2 0, 1 rebound; Jayden Harris 6 6-12 13, 1 3-pointer, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal; Ethan Miller 0 0-0 0; Brandon Pickett 3 3-7 7, 1 3-pointer, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals; Michael Montgomery 0 0-2 0, 5 rebounds. Team totals: 18 18-53 42, 6 3-pointers, 23 rebounds, 11 assists, 7 steals.
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