Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – As West Branch struggled out of the gate this season so too did junior guard Brandon Pedersen.

After opening the season 2-8 the Bears have gotten rolling the past several weeks and Pedersen is a big reason for that surge.

Pedersen continued his strong stretch on Tuesday scoring a team-high 13 points including the go-ahead 3-pointer as West Branch held off West Liberty 54-53 for its fifth win in the last six games.

“We started slow and really no one, outside of Jayden (Harris) was shooting well at all and about two or three games ago (Pedersen) really started hitting shots,” West Branch coach Jason Kern said. “I think guys are really starting to get some confidence.”

Pedersen snapped a 47-all tie with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 2:47 remaining and West Branch never trailed again.

The Bears improved to 7-9 on the season and 4-4 in River Valley Conference South Division play with the win and completed the season sweep of rival West Liberty.

West Branch won 64-57 in West Liberty on December 20.

“We are moving the ball more and not having as many turnovers,” Pedersen said. “We are playing as a team.”

Pedersen has been a big part of the Bears’ midseason turnaround.

The 6-foot-2 junior averaged 5.7 points per game while shooting 13 percent from 3-point range during the 2-8 start for West Branch.

Pedersen is averaging 11.8 points while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range over the last six games and has scored in double figures in each of the Bears five wins during that stretch.

“He’s playing with confidence and confidence is everything,” Kern said. “He went 4-of-5 from 3 but he’s been rebounding the ball really well for us and he was super active on the top of the zone.”

Pedersen stepped up when West Branch needed him most on Tuesday.

He had three 3-pointers in the second quarter as West Branch erased an early 21-13 deficit.

Then with the game on the line Pedersen came up huge giving the Bears a 50-47 lead with his fourth three-pointer of the game.

“I know I can’t get down on myself when I miss,” Pedersen said. “I have to keep shooting, that’s really all it is.”

West Liberty got as close at one point on an 18-foot jumper by Ryker Dengler with 19 seconds left but senior Brandon Pickett made a pair of free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining to secure the win.

Pickett had a double-double, matching Pedersen with 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

“He is one of the best rebounders I’ve coached in a long time,” Kern said. “He just high points it and goes and gets it. He’s been super impressive.”

Jayden Harris added 10 points for West Branch and Nathan Hills had nine for the Bears.

Joseph Delgado had 13 points and freshman Camden Crees had 10 points and eight rebounds for West Liberty.

“This is a big rival and we haven’t lost to them since our coaches have been here so we know they are going to come ready to play,” Kern said. “I told their coach before the game they are probably playing as well as any team in our conference right now so this is a good win for us.”

West Liberty                         21   9    4   19  –  53

West Branch                          13  16  13  12  –  54         

West Liberty (53) – Ryker Dengler 4-12 1-2 9, Seth Axsom 2-7 0-0 4, Cole Daufeldt 2-3 0-0 4, Cael Daufeldt 1-5 0-0 2, Jake Underbakke-Hennessy 2-4 0-0 5, Cameron Iske 0-3 0-0 0, Brady Laughlin 0-3 0-0 0, Caden Laughlin 3-5 0-1 6, Joseph Delgado 5-10 0-0 13, Camden Crees 5-5 0-0 10, Totals 24-57 1-3 53.

West Branch (54) – Nathan Hills 3-7 0-3 9, Brandon Pedersen 4-6 1-2 13, Brennen Dale 1-2 0-0 2, Lincoln Naber 1-1 0-0 2, Jayden Harris 3-13 2-6 10, Ethan Miller 1-5 0-0 3, Brandon Pickett 5-8 2-3 13, Michael Montgomery 0-0 2-2 2, Totals 18-42 7-16 54.

3-point field goals – West Liberty 4-17 (Axsom 0-5, Cael Daufeldt 0-1, Underbakke-Hennessy 1-2, Iske 0-1, Delgado 3-8), West Branch 11-26 (Hills 3-6, Pedersen 4-5, Harris 2-7, Miller 1-5, Pickett 1-3). Rebounds – West Liberty 33 (Crees 8), West Branch 27 (Pickett 10). Total fouls – West Liberty 12, West Branch 12. Turnovers – West Liberty 7, West Branch 10. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

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