REINBECK — Extra effort went a long way for Drew Eilers and the Gladbrook-Reinbeck boys basketball team Thursday evening prior to winter break.

Eilers scored a career-high 25 points and the Rebels sprinted past North Tama, 83-39, at G-R High School.

G-R moved to 6-3 and North Tama dropped to 4-6.

​​“We were moving the ball really well and our defense was able to get a lot of fast breaks for some points,” Eilers said. “Michael [Boyd] and I did a good job rebounding, and our coaches always have a good gameplan.

The Rebels never trailed, leading 19-9 at the end of the first quarter and going on a 13-2 run to start the second quarter to really put the Redhawks out of reach.

“Drew had an outstanding first half,” G-R head coach Scott Kiburis said. “And Hudson Clark was just playing solid defense, getting some tips on steals and getting transition buckets. Those two guys who do a lot of the defensive work and the dirty work with rebounding showed their offensive abilities just by hustling.”

Clark added 18 points and Isaac Clark contributed 11 points, with five different Rebels scoring at least five points on Thursday.

Eilers, an all-state lineman for the Rebels’ football team earlier this fall, is able to find good position to get to the bucket, whether it’s to score or to rebound, Kiburis said.

“I just want to go get rebounds,” Eilers added. “I like giving that extra effort for hustle plays like the other guys.”

Jared Dvorak led the Redhawks with 14 points, including four 3-point baskets. Kayler Morris added 10 points.

“They put it on us tonight,” North Tama head coach Ryan Ridout said. “But I’m giving our guys high-fives after that because this is some of the hardest basketball they’ve played all year. G-R’s just a really, really disciplined basketball team, they’re big, physical and our kids did our best to try and match that.”

The holidays couldn’t come at a better time for the Redhawks, on a five-game losing skid.

“We need the break,” Ridout said. “We’re beat up a little bit, we’ve got some guys with sprained ankles, things like that, so I think that break will help get us fresh and get us started.”

Before the game, Scott Kiburis was honored for his 400th career win, presented a plaque made by G-R’s Industrial Tech class and joined by his sons, William and Jackson.

“It’s freaking awesome,” Eilers said of the honor. “He’s a great coach.”

Scott himself would rather move past the number and focus more on the kids he’s coached.

“There’s a lot of losses in there, too,” Kiburis joked. “Those are the ones that got away. But I’m glad that I’ve had this longevity to coach and coach my two boys. And I’ve had so many good players coaching throughout a few different states, and it’s nice to see and hear from some of them that I used to coach in the past that are grown men now. Some really good players and better kids.

“But it’s just a number. We just want to keep playing and concentrating on the games ahead of us.”

Gladbrook-Reinbeck 83, North Tama 39 | at Reinbeck

NORTH TAMA — Josh Dostal 4 1-1 9, Kayler Morris 3 2-2 10, Jared Dvorak 5 0-0 14, Tyrus Luker 1 0-0 2, Brayton Cibula 0 1-4 1, Kayvin Morris 0 0-0 0, Chaz Hall 1 0-0 2, Ryan Hosek 0 0-2 0, Henry Hansen 0 1-2 1. TOTALS 14 5-11 39.

GLADBROOK-REINBECK — Isaac Clark 4 1-2 11, Austen Mathern 3 0-0 7, Hudson Clark 7 4-4 18, Drew Eilers 12 1-2 25, Michael Boyd 1 1-2 3, Trevor Mathern 1 1-2 4, Brandon Mathern 3 0-0 8, Austin Gehring 2 0-0 6, Austin Vaverka 0 0-0 0, Hunter Roberts 0 1-2 1. TOTALS 33 9-14 83.

3-Point Goals-North Tama 6 (Dvorak 4, Kayler Morris 2); Gladbrook-Reinbeck 8 (I. Clark 2, B. Mathern 2, Gehring 2, T. Mathern, A. Mathern). Total Fouls-North Tama 13, Gladbrook-Reinbeck 15. Fouled Out-None.