REINBECK – Camden Kickbush scored 20 points to lead the Class 1A No. 1 Gladbrook-Reinbeck boys basketball team to a 74-46 rout over North Butler Monday.

Kickbush drilled four 3-pointers and divvied out a team-high assists in the contest. Fellow guard Joe Smoldt complemented his teammate’s efforts with 18 points and Zach Pierce further buttressed the Rebels’ dynamic offense with 17 points.

North Butler (5-9) knocked down a slew of 3-pointers to keep things relatively close in the first half, but the Rebels combined stifling defense with explosive offense to turn the game into a blowout in the second half.

“We were able to get in a little bit of transition,” Gladbrook-Reinbeck coach Scott Kiburis said. “Camden Kickbush hit a couple of key 3-pointers [in the second half] to extend our lead a little bit. We had three layups in a row off our press. That kind of brought the game from about 16 points to 22 points and gave us a nice, comfortable lead.”

Pierce dominated inside in the first quarter, getting pristine positioning on his defenders and scoring at will. He ticked off five straight points, including a three-point play to help G-R jump out to a 9-3 lead early in the first. Kickbush drilled a jumper with a hand in his face and Luke Holman made a putback at the buzzer to give the Rebels a 20-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Kickbush buried a three to open the second quarter and Smoldt got open for a layup to give G-R a 27-16 lead with 3:45 left before intermission.

The Bearcats, however, were not ready to wave the white flag of defeat just yet. Jared Wunsch drilled and 3-pointer and Dylan Clipperton came off the bench and immediately nailed two 3-pointers to cut the lead to 36-28. Bestirred, Kickbush penetrated down the middle and found Cameron Clark for an easy layup before he nailed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to give G-R a 41-27 lead at halftime.

Smoldt drilled a couple jumpers to grow G-R’s lead in the third before he and Kickbush converted on two open layups that resulted from Bearcat turnovers caused by G-R’s press.

Tyler Eiffler, Luke Holman and Brady Kuehl all joined the fun in the fourth quarter, as all three Rebels knocked down 3-pointers.