Eagles Fall in Region 11-A Tournament Battle at Johnson Hall
Cedar Rapids, IA- The Kirkwood Men's Basketball team hosted Iowa Western on Saturday afternoon inside Johnson Hall in the DII Men's Basketball Region 11-A Tournament, with the #4 seeded Eagles squaring off against the #5 seeded Reivers. In a physical, postseason-style matchup, Kirkwood trailed by just three at halftime but ultimately fell by a final score of 72-61.
The Eagles battled from the opening tip, matching Iowa Western's intensity on both ends of the floor. Kirkwood went into the locker room down 36-33 after a competitive first half that featured timely shooting and strong work on the glass.
First Half Fight
Kirkwood leaned on its balanced attack early. Ben Bockman provided a spark from the perimeter, finishing with a team-high 17 points while knocking down five three-pointers. Chris Coleman controlled the tempo offensively, pouring in 14 points and dishing out seven assists.
Inside, Manasse Kasongo delivered a dominant performance on the boards, recording a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, including five offensive boards that created second-chance opportunities. The Eagles shot 40% from the field in the opening half and positioned themselves within one possession heading into the break.
Second Half Push
Iowa Western opened the second half with key baskets to maintain its slim advantage, and despite several defensive stops and momentum swings, the Eagles were unable to fully close the gap. Kirkwood struggled to find consistent rhythm from beyond the arc after halftime, shooting just 16.7% from three in the second half.
Bockman continued to attack from deep, while Kasongo battled in the paint against a physical Reiver front line. Richard Lindsey Jr. added five points and two blocks, and Kayvion Hodges contributed four points and three rebounds off the bench as Kirkwood searched for a late run.
The Reivers capitalized on timely possessions down the stretch, outscoring the Eagles 36-28 in the second half to secure the 72-61 result.
