The Gladbrook-Reinbeck Rebels (26-3) battled the Grand View Christian Thunder (26-1) for the 2017 Iowa High School Boys Basketball State Championship. The Thunder won the Class 1A battle, 61-50, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines Friday night (March 10, 2017).

Grand View Christian dominated the opening period right from the opening tip-off, scoring the game's first 12 points. The Thunder's defense has been a big story throughout the tournament, and it continued as the championship game got under way holding off the Rebels from scoring for the first four minutes of play..

Tyler Pierce finally put the Rebels on the board ending the 12-0 run by Grand View Christian, but the Thunder cruised to win the opening quarter, 19-2.

The Thunder picked up right where they left off during the second period. Grand View Christian exploded out to a 27-6 lead with 4:51 left in the first half. Gladbrook-Reinbeck showed some life cutting into the lead, but the Rebels still trailed at the half, 32-17.

The strong defensive play of Grand View Christian during the first half didn't allow Gladbrook-Reinbeck's offense to get any momentum. The Rebels only shot 26% (5-19) from the field and 12% (1-8) from behind the three point line. The Thunder's offense was on fire shooting 50% (14-28).

Gladbrook-Reinbeck trailed by as much as 21 points during the first half, but the Rebels mounted a charge to chip away at the Thunder's lead. GR's Joe Smoldt -- the state's leading scorer who averages 30 points per game -- was held scoreless from the field during the opening 16 minutes, but he warmed up and helped the Rebels close the gap to 13 points by the end of the third quarter (46-33).

Smoldt's first two field goals of the game -- both three-points -- came on back-to-back possessions with under a minute to play in the third quarter. The Upper Iowa recruit finished the night with 25 points on 5-of-19 shooting.

The Rebels kept applying pressure on the Thunder during the final frame, but Grand View Christian matched Gladbrook-Reinebeck point-for-point.

After losing its opening game to start the 2016-17 season, Grand View Christian won the next 26 to capture Class 1A title. s Basketball Championship game, 61-50. This is the Thunder's first ever state title in team history.

Smoldt was named captain of the Class 1A all-tournament for the third-straight year. The senior ended his career with 302 3-point shots and 2,358 points, both Gladbrook-Reinbeck school records.


Official Basketball Box Score
Grand View Christian vs Gladbrook-Reinbeck
03/10/17 6:05pm at IOWA BOYS STATE TOURN - 1A CHAMPTIONSHIP


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VISITORS: Grand View Christian 27-1
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
04 Glenn, Stephen...... *  2-9    2-6    2-2    1  1  2   4   8  4  1  0  4  32
10 DeMeulenaere, Grant. *  8-15   1-2    0-0    1  4  5   2  17  4  3  0  1  32
21 Montes, Arturo...... *  4-7    0-0    1-1    2  7  9   5   9  1  1  3  0  29
23 Crabb, Bryce........ *  2-3    2-2    4-6    3  2  5   3  10  1  1  0  2  27
34 Long, Nathan........ *  1-1    0-0    0-0    0  2  2   1   2  1  0  0  0   8
00 Glenn, Sam..........    0-1    0-1    2-3    0  3  3   2   2  1  1  0  1   7
01 Nyaw, Mach..........    4-7    0-2    3-4    0  0  0   4  11  2  2  0  0  22
02 Long, Andrew........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
03 Fry, Gage...........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
05 Gatto, Andrew.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
20 Wilson, Sam.........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
31 Saliu, Augie........    1-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   2  0  0  0  0   2
32 Bruce, Stephen......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
   TEAM................                            1  1
   Totals..............   22-44   5-13  12-16   7 20 27  21  61 14  9  3  8 159

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 14-28 50.0%   2nd Half:  8-16 50.0%   Game: 50.0%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-9  22.2%   2nd Half:  3-4  75.0%   Game: 38.5%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  2-4  50.0%   2nd Half: 10-12 83.3%   Game: 75.0%    2


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HOME TEAM: Gladbrook-Reinbeck 26-6
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
03 Thede, Walker....... *  1-2    0-0    1-2    1  1  2   3   3  0  0  0  0  23
12 Kickbush, Caden..... *  2-10   0-4    0-0    1  3  4   2   4  2  1  1  1  32
20 Smoldt, Joe......... *  5-19   4-10  11-14   2  4  6   2  25  1  6  0  1  32
30 Roeding, Matt....... *  2-4    0-0    4-6    3  2  5   4   8  0  2  0  1  24
44 Pierce, Tyler....... *  2-3    0-0    3-6    2  2  4   3   7  0  0  1  0  31
01 Haack, Deagan.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
02 Tscherter, Tyler....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
04 Johnanssen, Matt....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  0  0  0  0+
15 Thede, Eli..........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
23 Mussig, Thomas......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1
25 Kiburis, Jackson....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1
31 Skovgard, Mason.....    1-3    1-2    0-0    2  4  6   1   3  1  0  0  0  16
50 Peterson, Jed.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
   TEAM................                         1  1  2
   Totals..............   13-41   5-16  19-28  12 17 29  16  50  4  9  2  3 160

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  5-19 26.3%   2nd Half:  8-22 36.4%   Game: 31.7%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-8  12.5%   2nd Half:  4-8  50.0%   Game: 31.3%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  6-11 54.5%   2nd Half: 13-17 76.5%   Game: 67.9%    5


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Officials: Curt Strouth, Brett Johnson, Blake Reinke
Technical fouls: Grand View Christian-None. Gladbrook-Reinbeck-None.
Attendance:
Score by Periods                1st  2nd  3rd  4th   Total
Grand View Christian..........   19   13   14   15  -   61
Gladbrook-Reinbeck............    2   15   16   17  -   50
Fouled Out: Grand View #21 A Montes (0:44.5)

Points in the paint-GVC 24,GLD-REIN 12. Points off turnovers-GVC 15,GLD-REIN 8.
2nd chance points-GVC 5,GLD-REIN 6. Fast break points-GVC 6,GLD-REIN 0.
Bench points-GVC 15,GLD-REIN 3. Score tied-0 times. Lead changed-0 times.
Last FG-GVC 4th-01:09, GLD-REIN 4th-00:26.
Largest lead-GVC by 21 2nd-05:07, GLD-REIN None.

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