Coming off a 59-47 loss to Linn’s Wildcats four nights earlier, Todd Rehmert’s Owensville Dutchmen returned to action last Tuesday night against another species of Wildcat.

Welcoming Cuba’s Wildcats to Gasconade County for a Highway 19 hardwood showdown, OHS needed an 11-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter to put away a scrappy Cuba squad en route to a 55-41 victory.

“They’re a scrappy team that wouldn’t go away,” Rehmert said. “We were able to play a better second half to get a win on the home floor.”

Daxton Mehrhoff opened the game for Owensville with a bucket at the 7:15 mark of the first quarter. From there, it was all Cuba during the majority of the opening period.

Sparked by nine Jonathan Bayless points, the Wildcats scored the next 12 points for a 12-2 lead with 2:58 for the first quarter.

A Cason Gray 3-point play along with an Austin Terry bucket helped the Dutchmen trail Cuba 14-7 after one quarter.

Down 17-11 with 6:44 until halftime, Owensville took advantage of long distance for their first lead since early in the game.

Two 3-pointers from Trevor Abernathy and another 3-ball from Mehrhoff keyed a 13-3 Dutchmen run giving the home team a 24-20 lead with 3:08 until halftime.

Two Tyler Heidbrink buckets late in the half helped OHS go into the locker room with a 28-23 halftime lead.

Points from Mehrhoff (2), Brady Smith (1) and Gray (1) helped Owensville extend their lead to nine opening the second half at the 6:56 mark of the third quarter.

Scoring 11 of the next 12 points, Cuba went into the final eight minutes of basketball with a slim 34-33 lead.

A Zaid Epstein basket to open the fourth quarter started an 11-0 run putting the Dutchmen back on top 44-34 over Cuba with 4:37 remaining.

Weathering a 5-0 Cuba run, OHS closed the game on an 11-2 run to post a victory over the Highway 19 rivals to the south.

Abernathy led the Dutchmen and all scorers with 13 points. He also added five steals and four assists.

Mehrhoff followed closely in double figures with 11 points. Gray added eight points and six rebounds.

Saddled with first-half foul trouble, Smith scored all seven of his points in the second half along with pulling down a game-high nine rebounds.

Epstein and Heidbrink kicked in six points apiece off the bench while Boyde Nicks and Terry rounded out the Dutchmen scoring with two markers each.

JV Dutchmen vs. Cuba

Also falling to Linn along with their varsity counterparts, Terra Heidle’s junior varsity Dutchmen also looked to right the victory ship against Cuba’s JV Wildcats.

Coming out of the gate trailing 5-1, Owensville scored 23 of the next 25 points before going on to a 66-41 victory on their home floor.

Doubling up Cuba 10-5 after seven minutes of basketball, OHS exploded for 25 second-quarter points to take a 35-10 halftime lead.

Derek Brandt outscored Cuba with 12 first-half points. Epstein also hit double figures in the first half with 10 tally marks.

Playing the second half to a 31-31 draw, Owensville’s JV Dutchmen also claimed a Highway 19 hardwood victory.

Brandt led all scorers with a game-high 19 points. He also added six rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot.

Epstein also finished in double figures with 17 points.

Landon Valley and Heidbrink each missed double digits netting eight points. Heidbrink also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.

Austin Lowder and Brendan Decker kicked in six points while Terry added six rebounds and two points in the first half.

Dutchmen basketball will close 2018 tomorrow (Thursday) night on the road at Newburg.