IOWA LAKES TO BEGIN REGIONAL ACTION THIS WEEKEND

The Iowa Lakes Community College men’s basketball team will advance to regional competition this weekend in Mason City.

The Laker men will play at 6 p.m. Saturday against top seeded Kirkwood at the NIACC campus, a rematch of last Saturday’s contest which saw the Lakers fall to Kirkwood in a tightly contested game 65-69.

The winner of the Iowa Lakes vs. Kirkwood game will go on to play the winner of the Iowa Central vs. Clinton game at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 13.

The Lakers are led by 5’-6” freshman point guard Truc Ho averaging 13 points and 6 assists and sharp shooting forward Nick Joyce. The Lakers enter the Region XI tournament without the help from their top shooter, freshman Kurt Hesse who sustained a season ending injury in a game against DMACC. Hesse was averaging 12 points per game, shooting over 40 percent from behind the arc before going down for the season.

Students on the team include: Andrew Cuff, guard, Canada; Ryan Henderson, guard, Spencer; Remy Martin, wing, Milwaukee, Wisc.; Nick Joyce, forward, Wapsie Valley; Kyle Graw, guard, Cedar Rapids; Truc Ho, guard, Mankato, Minn.; Kurt Hesse, guard, Wapsie Valley; Keon Whitley, guard, Milwaukee, Wisc.; Justin Jackson, wing, Madison, Wisc.; Will Morales, forward, Chase County, Neb.; Bill Follon, forward, Everly; Aaron Smith, forward, Cedar Rapids; and Steve Shanks, forward, Milwaukee, Wisc.

The team is coached by Jason Vande Brake, who is in his second season at the helm of the men’s basketball team.