The Gibault Catholic High School boys basketball team started off with a commanding lead in the early going of the Class 1A Valmeyer Regional championship game Friday against Okawville, going on a 14-3 run at one point and entering the second half up 24-13.

Although the Hawks were on top the entire game, their lead wavered from time to time. Gibault came out of the locker room at half unable to score for nearly three minutes. But as slow as those three minutes went by for the Hawks, the next two went on without a hitch. Gibault pulled ahead to a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter.

Junior Nick Row stepped it up for the Hawks again Friday. He hit a fade away jumper to make it 37-26 at the third quarter buzzer. The Rockets were never able to catch up after that, despite Jeremy Weeke’s 26 points and an ability to hit pressured shots.

The Hawks would go on to become regional champions for the first time in 12 years, defeating Okawville 64-52. They will play New Berlin in the Okawville Sectional that begins Tuesday.

Waterloo wins

In other boys high school hoops action from Friday night, the Waterloo Bulldogs nipped Civic Memorial at home, 51-49, on senior night to finish Mississippi Valley Conference play.

Tied 39-39 after three quarters of play, the two teams battled back and forth until the end. With just seconds to go and the ‘Dogs up by two points, a Waterloo turnover gave CM the ball.

Civic Memorial center Jakob Lowrance drew a foul on Waterloo’s Justin Kretchmer, and went to the foul line with a chance to tie. Lowrance missed, however, and the clock ticked down to zero for a Bulldog victory.

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