by Tyler Foster

Varsity boys’ basketball for the Mustangs has had its fair share of ups and downs, and Jan. 26 was one of them. Against rival CMB, the Mustangs came out sluggish in the first half. Trailing by seven going into the half, something had to change. Luckily, PCM righted the ship in the second half with a nice surge to win the game, 54-43. Remaining a mere one game behind Gilbert for the lead of the Heart of Iowa Conference,  this game gave the Mustangs control of their own destiny.
CMB is a team that likes to slow the pace down, trying to work around the Mustangs’ stingy 1-3-1 defense. Leading to a first-half low-scoring affair, with a halftime score of 27-20 in favor of the Raiders. The second half was a different story. The Mustangs came out hot, outscoring the Raiders 34-16. The fourth quarter was the Mustangs’ hottest streak, hitting a 3-pointer on each of their first four possessions.
Senior Logan Gilman yet again led the charge for the Mustangs with a line of 17 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Sophomore Elijah Sperfslage was the next leading contributor with 12 points, all of which came via the three-point shot.
PCM will next host Nevada in yet another critical conference matchup. Tip-off for boys will begin at roughly 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5.