The Iowa Mennonite School boys basketball team opened 2019 with a win, taking down the Danville Bears 58-52 in Kalona.

The game was tight early with IMS holding a 15-14 lead after the first quarter. In the second the Bears put together a late run to go into the half up 28-24. The run would continue out of the locker room for Danville, eventually ending at 14-0. The Bears built their second half lead to 14 before IMS started to chip away. A late Iowa Mennonite run in the third quarter pulled them within six, but a Danville three from Max Wilcox who ended with a game high 31 pushed the lead back to nine. IMS did not waiver, as they began a barrage from behind the arc. In total, IMS hit four three’s in the fourth quarter with two from Trevor Leyden and one each from Caleb Gingerich and Eli Ours. Down the stretch, IMS found enough points at the line and enough defensive stops, allowing just one fourth quarter field goal to secure the win. After the game, IMS head coach Dwight Gingerich talked about the victory. “Trevor, Eli and Caleb all hit big threes. It felt like a game where we were going to have to grind out every possession at the defensive end. Eli did a great job covering Wilcox in the fourth quarter.”

Kobe Borntrager led IMS with a career high 20 points. Eli Ours had 13 and Trevor Leyden 10. With the win, IMS is now 7-2 on the season, Danville falls to 5-6.