Gladbrook-Reinbeck junior forward Michael Boyd (40) goes up against Waterloo Columbus during last Tuesday’s boys basketball game in Reinbeck. Boyd scored 12 points as the Rebels defeated the Sailors 48-39. PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

REINBECK — Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s post play kept the Rebels on course last Tuesday (Feb. 6) night.

Michael Boyd and Drew Eilers found opportunities under the basket to fend off Waterloo Columbus, 48-39, at G-R High School.

Eilers led G-R (16-5) with 16 points and Boyd added 12 points. Isaac Clark chipped in 13 points.

Boyd, a 6-foot-5 junior, and Eilers, a 6-foot-3 junior, scored all 10 points for the Rebels in a fourth quarter where G-R had to put in extra work defensively after some early turnovers.

“Sometimes we get in a funk and try to rush things,” Boyd said. “Ball movement and limiting our turnovers were the key to winning the game.”

PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

Jace Matern’s 3-pointer pulled Columbus within two at 38-36 with five minutes left in the game, but a 6-0 run bookended by buckets from Eilers pushed the lead back to eight and the Sailors weren’t within one possession the rest of the game.

“We’ve played four games in six days, and in all four games we’ve played really good defensively and rebounded well defensively,” G-R head coach Scott Kiburis said. “Offensively, we had some poor decisions, didn’t execute, and took a step back. I think we’re probably tired.”

Boyd and EIlers stepped up on both sides of the court against a tall, athletic Columbus team that blocked several Rebel shots on Tuesday.

The tandem are the Rebels’ leading scorers — Boyd entered Tuesday’s game averaging 14.6 points per game, and Eilers 12.9 with 10.2 rebounds on average as well.

“Michael and Drew just do a good job of, when things aren’t going great, they gut it out and get a shot as close as possible, maybe a second shot,” Kiburis said.

While G-R didn’t trail again after a 11-2 run in the second quarter pushed the Rebels ahead 26-16, the Sailors were often one shot away from turning the tables. Leo Christensen led the Columbus threat with 15 points.

“Our coaches are really pounding into us about defensive rebounding,” Boyd said. “We’ve needed to step that up and then just focus on ball handling, the passes that need to be made and the chemistry we have. … We just have to keep focusing on improving every day in practice and hopefully make a run here come next week.”

G-R ended the regular season at Colo-NESCO last Friday by beating the Royals 77-50.

The Rebels (17-5) used a defensive stand in the second quarter to take control, outscoring the host Royals 19-7 in the period for a 36-20 halftime lead.

Four players scored in double figures for G-R, led by Drew Eilers with 17 points as well as 15 rebounds. Eilers had six offensive rebounds.

Isaac Clark chalked up 15 points and seven assists, while Michael Boyd and Austin Gehring got 11 points apiece. Brandon Mathern and Austin Vaverka chipped in with eight points apiece, while Hudson Clark had five points and eight assists.

G-R opened the postseason this week at home on Monday with a decisive victory 72-30 over HLV.

The Rebels were set to host Belle Plaine (16-6) on Thursday in the second round.