JEFF B | Iowa Prep Illustrated / Iowa Grandstand Sports

GEORGE — Reasons are out there why the MMCRU girls basketball team continues to struggle. Tuesday the Royals dropped their third consecutive game and fourth straight to Iowa Prep Illustrated / Iowa Grandstand Sports Class 1A No. 15-ranked George-Little Rock.

In their previous four losses, the margin of defeat was 14.75 points for MMCRU.

Neither team performed well taking care of the basketball. It reflected more of a game of ‘hot potato’. There was a combined 50 turnovers — 24 belonging to George-Little Rock and 26 credited to MMCRU.

The Mustangs’ senior Lindsey Haken and sophomore Grace Ubbinga still cam through with big games for George-Little Rock. Haken had a game-best 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists, for blocked shots and a whopping 11 steals. Ubbinga finished with eight points, a game-best nine rebounds, and three blocked shots.

There were numerous lead changes throughout the War Eagle Conference game. Neither team managed a double-digit lead over the other. It was 18-15 following one quarter in favor of MMCRU. At halftime, the Royals still clung to a 23-22 lead. The homestanding Mustangs took a 33-31 lead at the third quarter buzzer.

George-Little Rock (7-0) finished a plus +6 (29-23) over the Royals on the boards. Defensively, they did a good job protecting the rim, finishing with eight blocked MMCRU shots.

Junior Chloe Alesch was the lone Royals oplayers to get into double figure scoring finishing with 13. Alesch also led MMCRU’s efforts on the glass with six, She came up with two steals and was credited with a blocked shot — one of three in the loss.

Tia Tentinger added nine points and Kaleigha Dreckman finished with eight for MMCRU whose record fall to 2-5 on the season.

Up Next

The Royals travel to LeMars Gehlen (3-6) on Monday. MMCRU needs to approach the game aggressively with vigor as its very much a winnable affair. The Royals are looking to end a two-game losing streak in the all-time series to Gehlen.

Teams	1	2	3	4	Final
MMCRU	18	5 (23)	8 (31)	10	41
George- Little Rock	15	7(22)	11 (33)	9	42

MMCRU Record: 2-5 | George-Little Rock Record: 7-0

George-Little Rock Leading Scorer (s): Lindsey Haken 22.

George-Little Rock Rebounding Leader (s): Grace Ubbinga 9.

Largest Lead: NA

Rebound Margin: George-Little Rock +6 (29-23)

MMCRU Scoring: Tia Tentinger 9, Gracie Schroeder 1, Chgloe ALesch 13, Lana Florine 4, Sadie Youde 0, Hailey Staab 3, Ella Draper 3, Kaleigha Dreckman 8, Riley Groves 0, Brielle Lux 0, Aleah Lux 0.

MMCRU Statistics
Field Goals Overall: 15-42 (35.7)
3-Pt. Field Goals: 6-15 (40.0)
Free Throws: 5-11 (45.5)
Assists (11): Tentinger 4, Schroeder 3, Florine 2, Youde 1, Groves 1.
Steals (8): Alesch 2, Staab 2, Tentinger 2, Youde 1, Groves 1.
Rebounds (23): Alesch 6, Youde 5, Schroeder 4, Tentinger 3, Dreckman 1, Groves 1, Florine 1, B. Lux 1, A. Lux 1.
Blocked Shots (3): Alesch 1, A. Lux 1, Florine 1.

Iowa Prep Illustrated / Iowa Grandstand Sports Class 1A No. 2-ranked Royals of MMCRU have experience quite a run to start the 2025-2026 season. The Royals remain unbeaten with an average margin of victory 29.2 points per game.

MMCRU has ruled George-Little Rock with both meetings from a season ago by 68 and 36 points. George-Little Rock made the switch from the Siouxland Conference to the War Eagle Conference (WEC) at the start of the 2023-2024 sports year. It has been said more then once they felt they could be more productive playing in the WEC and that would transfer some of those losses to victories in the win column.

The first year was successful finishing 16-6. Last season the Mustangs sunk to depths unmeasureable finishing 1-21. This season its been a struggle once going entering Tuesday night’s 67-18 with just three wins thus far.

George-Little Rock made just 6-of-38 (15.8%) of their shots overall. Included in that total was 3-of-21 (14.3%) on three shot shots. Foul shooting the Mustangs was 4-of-6 (66.7%) George-Little Rock also committed 21 turovers in the loss. Patrick Den Hartog’s seven points led the offense. Wyatt Minter and Den Hartog each finished with four rebounds.

MMCRU finished with all 11 players scoring in the victory. Four of those Royals players scored double figures — Kam Bork 13, Wyatt Alesch 10, Josh Peterson 10, Eli Schlenger 10.

MMCRU’s record of 6-0 in the best start by a Royals team ever.

Up Next

In its final matchup before the holiday break MMCRU will tip-off with LeMars Gehlen on

Teams	1	2	3	4	Final
MMCRU	17	23 (40)	16 (56)	11	67
George- Little Rock	6	3(9)	7 (16)	3	18

MMCRU Record: 6-0 | George-Little Rock Record: 3-4

George-Little Rock Leading Scorer (s): Patrick Den Hartog 7.

George-Little Rock Rebounding Leader (s): Wyatt Minter 4, Den Hartog 4.

Largest Lead: NA

Rebound Margin: MMCRU +23 (44-21)

MMCRU Scoring: Michael Schmillen 5, Kamden Bork 13, Josh Peterson 10, Wyatt Alesch 10, Eli Schlenger 10, Mac Schnepf 3, Brandon Dreckman 2, Eli Harpenau 2, John Schmillen 3, Ayden Miller 4, Gavin Poeckes 2

MMCRU Statistics
Field Goals Overall: 28-54 (51.9)
3-Pt. Field Goals: 3-12 (25.0)
Free Throws: 8-17 (47.1)
Assists (18): M. Schmillen 6, Alesch 4, Dreckman 3, Bork 1, Schlenger 1, Peterson 1, Harpenau 1, J. Schmillen 1.
Steals (18): Alesch 6, Bork 3, M. Schmillen 2, Schlenger 2, Peterson 2, Harpenau 1, Dreckman 1, J. Schmillen 1.
Rebounds (44): Peterson 8, Bork 7, Harpenau 7, M. Schmillen 5, Alesch 3, Schnepf 3, Dreckman 3, J Schmillen 3, Goecker 2, Schlenger 2, Miller 1.
Blocked Shots (0):