The WACO Warrior boys basketball team traveled to Kalona Monday and met Iowa City Regina at the Hillcrest Academy jamboree. After one half of basketball it was the Warriors who topped the Regals 30-25. WACO led 11-10 after the first quarter and eventually pushed the lead to as large as eight in the second frame. WACO outrebounded Regina 13 to 11 and forced 11 Regal turnovers while committing eight of their own. Five different Warriors scored, led by 10 from Hunter Hughes. After the game, WACO head coach Paul Kissel talked about what he saw from his team. “We have a lot of bodies so we are really focusing on our energy and effort early in the season, especially on the defensive side of the ball.  The kids are going hard, and there are some mistakes that get made, but they are kids and when you make a mistake going hard, good things can still happen. We are also putting an emphasis on rebounding. We shot 35% as a team last year so if we can control the glass, that percentage will go up and it will help us to take away easy baskets for the other team. On the flip side of that, we are trying to push the ball, get some easy looks for ourselves and force turnovers. Tonight we attacked the basket and took care of business at the line and that was probably the difference in the game.”

This closes the preseason for WACO as they get the season started Tuesday at Holy Trinity Catholic.