Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – In his first season at West Branch Reese Trepanier has found a role as classic glue guy.

Trepanier does the dirty work.

He sets the screens, chases down loose balls, rebounds and bangs on opposing big men in the paint.

“That’s how I see my role, just try to help us win,” Trepanier said. “I go for loose balls all the time and try to get all the boards I can.”

Basically, Trepanier does all the things most players don’t want to do.

On Tuesday, Trepanier got a chance to do what every player enjoys doing – scoring.

Trepanier scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the second half as West Branch pulled away for a 59-45 win over Regina in a River Valley Conference matchup in Iowa City

“He’s a ‘yes sir’ kind of kid,” West Branch coach Jason Kern said. “He is always going to do the right thing and tonight he was every efficient. He was really good for us on the baseline finishing and being active down there.”

Trepanier entered Tuesday averaging more rebounds per game (5.8) than points (5.7).

Against the Regals he provided an offensive spark, going 10-of-11 from the field while soaring past his previous career-high of 12 points.

“I haven’t had 20 points since AAU probably,” Trepanier said. “I was finding openings and my teammates were finding me.”

West Branch (11-9, 10-9 RVC) used a 16-3 second-quarter run to erase a one-point deficit and build a 30-20 halftime advantage.

Brady Knoop had two of his three three-pointers during the 16-3 burst that started with a Trepanier basket in the paint and featured six points from sophomore point guard Holden Arnaman.

Trailing 33-20 early in the second half Regina (6-15, 6-13) rallied, rattling off nine unanswered points to cut the lead to 33-29 on a Carson Jensen three-pointer.

Sparked by Trepanier West Branch answered.

The sophomore stopped the run with a steal and layup and answered an Eddie Petersen basket with a layup off an Arnaman feed.

Trepanier then came up with another steal and layup off a Regina baseline out of bounds play to give West Branch a 41-33 lead with a minute left in the first quarter.

“I was just trying to find any way to help us,” Trepanier said. “I was going for the loose ball and it ended up turning into points.”

Trepanier didn’t miss a shot in the second half, going 7-of-7 from the floor.

He had four baskets, including a putback and another steal and layup during a 10-2 West Branch run to open the fourth quarter.

In addition to scoring Trepanier did his usual dirty work, grabbing a team-high six rebounds and helping to hold the Regal post players in check.

“He brings energy,” Kern said. “He has a great personality and keeps everything loose but he is the best offensive rebounder I have ever coached. He has a knack for it and knows where the ball is going to be and grinds each possession, he’s always in the right spot.”

Arnaman finished with 15 points and five rebounds for West Branch while Knoop added 11 points for the Bears.

Regina got 20 points from senior Coltrae Kerschen in his final home game while Jensen added nine and Grant Rustan had six.

Regina                          10  10  15  10  –  45

West Branch              14  16  13  16  –  59

Regina (45) – Carson Jensen 4-6 0-0 9, Landis Pietrzak 1-3 0-0 3, Eddie Petersen 2-5 0-0 4, Coltrae Kerschen 7-13 5-5 20, Carter Leick 0-1 0-0 0, Cameron Lehman 1-5 0-0 3, John Devery 0-1 0-0 0, Grant Rustan 3-4 0-1 6, Totals 18-38 5-6 45.

West Branch (59) – Peyton Miller 3-9 0-0 8, Carver Boelk 0-0 0-1 0, Holden Arnaman 3-9 9-10 15, Brady Knoop 4-8 0-0 11, Andy Henson 1-3 1-2 3, Drake Berry 1-2 0-0 2, Reese Trepanier 10-11 0-0 20, Totals 22-42 10-13 59.

3-point field goals – ICR 4-14 (Jensen 1-2, Pietrzak 1-3, Petersen 0-1, Kerschen 1-3, Leick 0-1, Lehman 1-4), WB 5-17 (Miller 2-7, Arnaman 0-4, Knoop 3-5, Henson 0-1). Rebounds – ICR 17 (Kerschen 4), WB 27 (Henson 6, Trepanier 6). Turnovers – ICR 14, WB 9. Total fouls – ICR 14, WB 9. Fouled out – WB (Knoop). Technical fouls – None.

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