Both Holton varsity basketball teams started 2015 with convincing victories at home against Jeff West on Tuesday night to improved to 4-1 in Big 7 League play and 4-2 overall on the season.  

GIRLS = Holton 45, Jeff West 30
An early 11-2 run turned into a 26-12 halftime lead and Holton's defensive pressure forced 25 turnovers in the win.  Jeff West closed the gap to 34-26 early in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats responded and a trey by Ashlyn Weilert after a timeout pushed the lead back to double-digits for good.  Weilert had 8 points while Shay Tanking and Mackenzie Moore each added 7 and the Lady Cats were led by Courtney Boswell with 12.  
Jeff West got another big double-double from Olivia Brees who posted 18 points and 11 rebounds plus 5 blocked shots, but fell to 1-5 on the season.  Brees made 10 of 12 free throws, but no other Tiger had more than 4 points.  

BOYS = Holton 74, Jeff West 44
Jeff West got off to a good start, led by Grady Middendorf, and held a 9-8 lead late in the first quarter. Holton senior, Parker Sides, came off the bench and hit a trey and the Wildcats never trailed again as they went on to make 13 baskets behind the arc.  With Holton leading 13-9 entering the second quarter, Trey Tanking got hot and scored 12 points to boost Holton's halftime lead to 39-25.  Garrett Beecher hit four treys in the third quarter and scored 13 points in the frame as the Cats went up 55-36 entering the fourth.  Beecher finished with a career high 38 points, making 7 trifecta's and 7 free throws while fellow senior, Tanking, added 18 points.  Tanking was coming off a 25 points game at Riverside before Christmas break and Beecher has scored double digits for Holton in every game this season.  
Middendorf scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half to keep Jeff West close for awhile and Jacob Dickey got 13 points, but was held to three made field goals as the Tigers dropped to 3-3 on the season.