AMES — The sweltering defense of Ames didn’t let up against the Fort Dodge boys basketball squad here on Tuesday, as the unbeaten Little Cyclones held their third consecutive opponent under 35 points in a 55-31 victory over the Dodgers.

Ames, which already owns lopsided wins over Mason City (59-24) and Ottumwa (54-34), followed a similar pattern in pulling away from FDSH. Six-foot-7 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit Japannah Kellogg scored 18 points, while freshman sensation Tamin Lipsey added 14 for the Little Cyclones. AHS jumped ahead 13-0 after the first five-plus minutes of action and never looked back.

“We struggled with their press; our lack of ballhandling and overall varsity inexperience really hurts us in situations like this, on the road against an upper-tier team,” FDSH head coach Tom Daniel said. “Kellogg is a solid post, and Lipsey is a very good player. They shot the ball better than what we’d seen on film.

“We just made too many physical and mental mistakes. Again, the effort wasn’t the problem. It was an execution issue. We have to narrow our focus and fix what we can; try to find ways to be consistent within the framework of what we’re capable of accompishing.”

Senior Jordan Jackson scored 14 points for Fort Dodge, which did play the Little Cyclones within 18-17 over the rest of the first half after the slow start.

“We fought back in the second quarter, but they finished the half strong and things kind of fell apart in the third (period),” Daniel said. “We had about a four-minute stretch where they extended the lead. We had too many breakdowns to contend for four quarters against a good ballclub.”

There is no rest for the weary, as the Dodgers take on Waukee (3-0) at home this Friday. The Warriors thumped Johnston on Tuesday, 52-37.

AMES 55, FORT DODGE 31

Ames — Mumm Casey 4, Tamin Lipsey 14, Cooper Downs 6, Japannah Kellogg 18, Kiaeem Mosley 6, Will Krapfl 1, Corey Phillips 6.

Fort Dodge — Jordan Jackson 14, Malihk Lockman 5, Tysen Kershaw 5, Jace Peterson 4, D’Arien Calahan 3, Asle Thorson 0, Grant Barber 0, Dayson Clayton 0, Rodney Tilawen 0, Isaiah Alvarez 0, Tre Preston 0.

Quarter scores: Ames led 13-8, 31-17, 44-25.