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Kirkwood Mens Basketball

Kirkwood - Mens Basketball

Luke Appel of Kirkwood makes a strong move to the basket during Wednesday night's 89-73 victory over Marshalltown at Johnson Hall. Appel scored 20 points. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Appel returns to help lift Eagles

Thu - 05 Dec Written by Jim Ecker

Luke Appel has spent too much time on the disabled list this season for the Kirkwood Eagles.

First he rolled his ankle and missed two games early in the year, then he suffered a freak injury in the weight room a few weeks ago and missed three more outings.

Appel returned Wednesday night and scored 20 points as the 16th-ranked Eagles topped Marshalltown, 89-73, in a non-conference game at Johnson Hall.

Appel stopped by the trainer's room after the contest for them to examine the tip of his ring finger on his left hand, which is his shooting hand. He's lucky the entire finger is still there.

"I dropped a weight and broke my finger in the weight room," he explained. "It cracked my finger straight in half. You could see the bone.

"I almost amputated my finger," he said.

When he dropped the 45-pound plate, his finger got caught underneath. It's still bent out of shape and discolored, but he felt good enough to play.

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Kirkwood - Mens Basketball

Niko Gosnell of Kirkwood slams the ball through the hoop for two points during Tuesday night's 98-64 victory over the College of Lake County at Johnson Hall. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

No. 14 Eagles sink Lake County

Wed - 27 Nov Written by Metro Sports Report

The 14th-ranked Kirkwood Eagles used a balanced attack Tuesday night to smother the College of Lake County, 98-64, in a men's basketball game at Johnson Hall.

DJ Purnell led the Eagles (6-3) with 19 points and seven rebounds. Gacoby Jones and Chris Burnell scored 14 points for Kirkwood. Devonte Thedford had 11 points and Niko Gosnell added 10 points.

Seybian Sims and Griffen Clark contributed nine points apiece and Jalen Taylor had eight markers.

Kirkwood shot 54.5 percent from the floor, with Purnell going 6-for-7. Jones grabbed eight rebounds. Thedford had five assists. Gosnell blocked four shots.

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Kirkwood - Mens Basketball

Short-handed Eagles fall short

Sun - 24 Nov Written by Metro Sports Report

EAST PEORIA, Ill. - The ninth-ranked Kirkwood men's basketball team lost to Illinois Central, 72-66, in a non-conference game Saturday in Illinois.

Devonte Thedford and Seybian Sims, two normal starters for the Eagles, did not play in Saturday's game for unspecified reasons. Luke Appel and Connor Kasperbauer, who helped Kirkwood win the national title last season, did not play due to injuries.

Kirkwood defeated Illinois Central, 87-68, in the season opener Nov. 1 at the SCC tournament in West Burlington.

Jamal Stephenson and DJ Purnell led Kirkwood (5-3) with 16 points. Purnell grabbed 13 rebounds. Niko Gosnell blocked four shots.

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Kirkwood - Mens Basketball

Kirkwood sophomore Griffen Clark prepares to catch a pass during Wednesday night's 64-48 victory over John Wood College at Johnson Hall. Clark hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 points. (MSR photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Clark sparks No. 9 Eagles by John Wood

Thu - 21 Nov Written by Jim Ecker

Griffen Clark learned what it takes to win a national championship last season as a freshmen when the Kirkwood Eagles captured the NJCAA Division II national crown.

Now Clark is trying to impart some of that wisdom into this year's team as a sophomore.

"I would say the biggest thing about last year is how together you have to be as a team, especially when things get tough: How do you respond?," he remarked Wednesday night.

"And I think we learned how important leadership is, to have guys in the locker room who are going to keep everything under control. When things are going well, keep them going well, and when they're not going well, turn it around."

Clark helped turn things around Wednesday for Kirkwood when he popped in three straight 3-pointers in less than three minutes to help the ninth-ranked Eagles pull away from John Wood College and post a 64-48 victory at Johnson Hall.

The Eagles (5-2) were clinging to a 44-42 lead with less than nine minutes left. His three triples ignited a 16-0 run as Kirkwood took command at 60-42 and pulled out of danger.

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Kirkwood - Mens Basketball

Thedford leads No. 9 Eagles by Marshalltown

Thu - 14 Nov Written by Metro Sports Report

MARSHALLTOWN - Devonte Thedford enjoyed a big game Wednesday night as the ninth-ranked Kirkwood Eagles topped Marshalltown, 79-71, in a non-conference game in Marshalltown.

Thedford finished with 19 points, six rebounds as six assists as the Eagles raised their record to 4-2.

DJ Purnell continued his string of productive games for Kirkwood with 17 points and seven rebounds, hitting 7 of 11 shots from the field. Luke Appel, who prepped at Marshalltown High School, returned home with 15 points and seven rebounds. Seybian Sims had nine points and eight rebounds.

Jaqwell Wilson poured in 25 points for Marshalltown (1-5).

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