Rockets notch 11th win of the season, Unity picks up IPC victory

TOLONO -- Both teams were off to an ugly start in their first basketball game of 2022. Unity's shotmakers converted on just 34.2% of their shots while hosting Olympia in their Illini Prairie Conference game last Friday. Luckily, the visiting Spartans' shots weren't falling either allowing the Rockets to post a 41-34 win over their guests.

Backed by Will Cowan's 10 rebounds, seven of them on the defensive end of the court, Unity held Olympia to just six first-half points inside the Rocket Center.

The Spartans, who made baskets on 23.8% of the balls they tossed at the rim, were led by Chase Litwiller's double-double 19 points, and 11 boards.

Unity (11-2) took an early lead on a three-pointer from Cowan and two more, in addition to a field goal, from senior Blake Kimball for an 11-4 first-quarter lead. Kimball was Unity's only scorer in the next frame with six points. Meanwhile, Olympia mustered only two points, both on free throws from Litwiller and his brother Andrew before halftime.

Despite being outgunned 28-24 in the second half, a fourth-period burst from Kimball and teammate Henry Thomas' six crucial free throws kept the game from slipping away. Jacob Maxwell hit a field goal and free throw in the final frame for the Rockets.

Kimball led all scorers with 25 points. He also added to the cause six rebounds and a pair of steals from his 35 minutes on the court. A bigger asset on defense on Friday, Cowan finished the night with four points.

Cowan & Co. are at home again tomorrow against Tuscola. The varsity game is scheduled to start at 7pm. The Warriors are 12-3 on the season with losses to Okaw Valley, Monticello, and Indiana's 21st Century Charter.

Box Score

Final: Prairie Central 48 - Urbana 21

  1 2 3 4 F
Unity 11 6 5 19 41
Olympia 4 2 10 18 34

Unity --
Kimball 5 (4) 3-10 -- 25, Cowan 0 (1) 0-0 -- 3, H. Thomas 0 (0) 6-8 -- 6, Rawdin 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Warfel 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Saunders 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, Porter 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, O'Neil 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Price 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, A. Thomas 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Langendorf 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Maxwell 1 (0) 1-6 -- 3

Olympia --
Ragland 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Peifer 1 (0) 1-2 -- 3, Wilson 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, D. O'Donnell 0 (0) 1-2 -- 1, Swartzendruber 0 (2) 0-0 -- 6, Pierce 1 (0) 2-4 -- 4, A. Litweiler 0 (0) 1-2 -- 1, Wilie 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Dane 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, C. Litwiler 6 (0) 7-9 -- 19, David 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Evans 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, G. O'Donnell 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Olsen 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0