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Clayton scores 30 as FD boys win again

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Solomon Clayton of Fort Dodge shoots around Ankeny's Ben Lyon on Tuesday inside the Dodger gym. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

The maturation of the Fort Dodge boys basketball team continued here on Tuesday night in the Dodger gym.

Facing an opponent they could see in the postseason with a tournament-like atmosphere, the Dodgers gutted out a 70-66 win over Ankeny.

The Dodgers, now 10-4, have posted double digit wins for the fourth time in nine seasons under head coach Tom Daniel, and reached the 10-win plateau before Feb. 1 for the first time since the program’s Class 4A state quarterfinal squad of 2005-06.

But it was the way they pulled through last night that Daniel was quick to point out.

“This was a grind-it-out win; a good team win,” said Daniel. “This is a game I think we probably would have lost last year. Not everything was perfect, but I have to give our kids credit. We still found a way.”

The triumph was especially key to the Dodgers’ post-season hopes. This year, records alone won’t determine the top seeds in the substate round. A coaches’ meeting will be held next week where the seeds — and first-round byes — will be determined.

“This is huge because Ankeny beat Des Moines North (also in the substate). We are definitely in contention for the No. 2 seed,” Daniel said.

Right now, fourth-ranked Waukee (12-2) looks like it will get the No. 1 seed in the Dodgers’ substate. The second seed — which receives a first-round bye and home game — will probably come down to Fort Dodge and North (9-4).

Senior Solomon Clayton led the charge on Tuesday, scoring a career high 30 points, including 14 from the free throw line. Junior Malcolm Clayton added 15 points — all in the second half — and sophomore Jordan Jackson chipped in 10.

“Solomon played like a senior should,” said Daniel. “We also got a lot of contributions from guys that won’t jump off the stat sheet.

“Jonny Bowser had a big three and Brady Read had a huge put-back for a bucket. That was at an important stage of the game. Jordan Jackson adding 10 points was huge, too.”

Dillon Carlson led Ankeny (7-8) with 27 points. Drew Maschoff added 13. He was averaging more than 22 a game, but was held to 5-for-14 shooting, mostly by senior Silas Naylor.

“Silas did a great job on Maschoff,” Daniel added. “Machoff had to earn every point he got.”

Neither team had more than a four-point lead until the Dodgers got back-to-back three-pointers from Malcolm Clayton and Trey Mosley to end the third period, extending FDSH’s advantage to 48-41. The Dodgers then scored the first six points of the fourth and led 54-41.

Ankeny got within 63-58 with 1:18 to play on a three-pointer by Maschoff, but the Dodgers got five free throws and a bucket down the stretch to lead 70-63 before Carlson hit a meaningless three at the buzzer.

The Dodgers shot lights out from both the floor and the free throw line. They were 24-of-41 from the field (59 percent) and 19-of-22 at the charity stripe (86 percent). Fort Dodge had a 19-3 edge in free throws made.

The Clayton brothers were a combined 9-for-10 from the line in the fourth period alone.

Ankeny had nine three-point buckets to just three for the Dodgers.

“We are 10-4, and all of our losses have been to Top-10 teams. I don’t know if anybody thought we’d be in this position, but we have to continue to build,” Daniel said.

The Dodgers get a chance to avenge one of those losses this Friday when ninth-ranked Dowling comes to town. The Maroons own a 70-35 win over Fort Dodge already this year.

Friday’s contest will also be important in the CIC Iowa Division standings, as the Dodgers come in with just two division losses. The Maroons have one.

FORT DODGE 70, ANKENY 66

Fort Dodge — Trey Mosley 1-6 0-0 3, Malcolm Clayton 5-11 4-4 15, Silas Naylor 2-4 0-0 4, Jordan Jackson 5-5 0-0 10, Solomon Clayton 8-12 14-16 30, Brady Read 1-2 1-2 3, Jonny Bowser 2-3 0-0 5, Jace Peterson 0-0 0-0 0, Joe Artis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 24-41 19-22 70.

Ankeny — Drew Maschoff 5-14 0-0 13, Ben Lyon 3-6 2-2 8, Deaglan Riordan 2-3 0-0 4, Dillon Carlson 11-13 1-2 27, Blaine Hawkins 3-7 0-0 8, Nolan Otten 2-5 0-1 4, Jalen Smith 1-3 0-0 2, A.J. Jackson 0-0 0-0 0, Camron Rinker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 27-52 3-5 66.

Quarter scores: Fort Dodge led 15-14, 32-30, 48-41. Three-points goals: Fort Dodge 3-8 (Mosley 1-3, M. Clayton 1-3, Bowser 1-2). Ankeny 9-16 (Maschoff 3-7, Carlson 4-5, Hawkins 2-2, Otten 0-1, Rinker 0-1). Total fouls: Fort Dodge 12, Ankeny 19. Fouled out: Hawkins.

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