After losing three out of four games – all against quality competition – Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn posted a 3-0 record in action last week.

Balanced scoring and dominant rebounding propelled H-M-S to an 82-51 win over MMCRU on Feb. 2.

Lance Berends scored 23 points and Kooper Ebel scored 19 to lead H-M-S. Ben Haack added 11 points, Sam Heyn scored 10 and Keevyn Jacobsma added eight.

The Hawks outrebounded MMCRU by a 53-32 margin, led by Berends with 13 rebounds, Kayl Jacobsma and Ebel with eight, Keevyn Jacobsma with seven, Jordan Ortega and Haack with five each and Brenton Thomas with four.

Similar to the first meeting in Hartley, the Royals initially stayed close with some hot shooting. A strong second quarter increased H-M-S's six-point lead to 40-23 at half time. H-M-S went on to outscore MMCRU by 14 in the second half.

"They are one of those teams that when they get hot, they can be dangerous," Hawk coach Mark Petersen acknowledged. "We got out of position defensively and they were able to make some three-point shots in the first quarter. Once we settled down and played some good fundamental defense, it was beneficial."

Ortega contributed five assists and two steals; Ebel had five assists; Kayl Jacobsma had four blocks and two assists; Berends had three blocks and two assists; and Haack added three assists.

Scoring leaders for MMCRU (4-12) were Kamden Steffen with 20 points and Cade Pepper with 13.

• vs. Sibley-Ocheyedan

Balanced scoring won out over an outstanding individual performance in the Hawks' 74-58 non-conference win at Sibley-Ocheyedan on Feb. 4.

Four Hawks combined to score 63 points. Ebel topped H-M-S with 19 points, Heyn scored 17, Berends scored 16 and Kayl Jacobsma finished with 11. The Hawks passed the ball to the open shooters, recording 18 assists on 28 made field goals.

"We have to be patient and share the basketball. The more we can catch and shoot, the better we'll be," Petersen noted.

The multiple scorers allowed H-M-S to prevail despite 33 points by S-O's Carter Brouwer. While the Hawks had a hard time stopping him, no other General scored more than six points.

"We were trying to contain the Brouwer kid. He's a good player," Petersen said.

H-M-S led by seven before the Generals finished the opening quarter with a 13-5 run. The score remained tight until H-M-S stretched the lead to 10 points late in the first half.

S-O cut the deficit to 43-38 early in the third quarter, but the Hawks responded with eight straight points to push the margin back to double figures. Key shots and late defensive stops helped H-M-S defeat S-O (8-10) for the first time since 2015.

Berends grabbed 14 rebounds and recorded seven blocks and three assists. Jacobsma had seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks; Heyn had four rebounds; Ebel had six assists and two rebounds; and Haack added four assists.

• vs. Akron-Westfield

A one-win Akron-Westfield team threatened to spoil senior night on Feb. 5, but the Hawks were able to pull away in the second half to earn a 74-60 victory.

H-M-S led 17-11 after one quarter and by eight a few minutes later, but the Westerners came back to tie the score at 25-25. The Hawks rebuilt the lead to eight, but their advantage was only 33-28 at half time.

Whenever H-M-S built a double-digit lead in the second half, the Westerners would respond. They twice pulled to within five in the final quarter before a 10-1 run sealed the Hawks' third win of the week.

MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS

Teammates greet J.P. Mutombo as he comes off the floor. He was one of the seniors who started the game against Akron-Westfield.

Ebel scored 24 points, Haack scored 16, Berends scored 14 and Jacobsma added 12. The Hawks made 29-of-59 shots from the floor and were 11-of-17 at the foul line.

Berends recorded 10 rebounds, five blocks and three assists; Jacobsma had seven rebounds; Ebel had six assists, six steals and three rebounds; Haack had four rebounds; Heyn had three rebounds and two assists; and Ortega had three assists and two steals.

The Hawks (11-8, 4-5) played their final regular season game on Feb. 9 at Harris-Lake Park.