ELGIN, Nov. 28 - There wasn't any messing around for Mooseheart's boys basketball team on Saturday night. The Ramblers' shots fell, they didn't try any over-elaborate passes and they cut their turnover count by nearly half. Add a pair of strong scoring runs in the first half and the Ramblers were able to rip Kirkland-Hiawatha 47-28 in their final contest at the Westminster Christian Thanksgiving Tournament and to claim their first win of the season.

"We got on them and were able to score some easy baskets on them, which is important for us," Mooseheart coach Ron Ahrens said. "When we can do that, we're going to be half-way decent."

Mooseheart concluded its four-game stay at Westminster Christian with a 1-3 record. "No doubt Immaculate Conception just pounded us," Ahrens said. "But against St. Ed's and Elgin Academy, we missed some free throws and had some turnovers and those cost us. That's the difference from us being possibly 3-1 coming out of here and 1-3 and that's disappointing."

Mooseheart had over 90 turnovers in its first three game but committed 16 on Saturday. The team's young backcourt got a little more youthful with sophomore Noel Yarngo getting extended minutes along with fellow sophomore Isaiah Brigman.

"You're able to get more shots off when you're not turning the ball over 30 times," Ahrens said.

Keying Mooseheart's offense was Jonell Crump, the team's all-tournament selection. Crump scored 10 of his game-high 20 points in the first quarter. For the tournament, Crump averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds. "He played well the whole tournament," Ahrens said.

Mooseheart jumped to an 8-0 lead and the Ramblers hit the Hawks for another 8-0 run later in that quarter. At the end of the first quarter, Mooseheart's lead was 23-10 and Kirkland-Hiawatha never got closer than 12 points the rest of the contest.

"It felt like a good victory," Crump said. "We lost some games here on free throws. But we were better passing and took better care of the ball tonight."

Mooseheart: McReynolds 5 1-2 12, Yarngo 0 1-2 1, Brigman 2 0-0 4, Owens 0 0-0 0, Smith 1 0-2 2, Moore 2 0-0 4, Lech 2 0-0 4, Crump 10 0-1 20. Totals 22 2-7 47.

Kirkland-Hiawatha: Puckett 1 0-0 2, Keneway 3 1-2 7, Harber 0 2-2 2, Shipley 0 0-0 0, Hernandez 2 0-2 4, Wittwer 0 0-0 0, Freeman 0 1-2 1, Tomaraz 0 0-0 0, Walton 6 0-0 12, Downing 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 4-8 28.

Mooseheart               23 11 3 10 - 47
Kirkland-Hiawatha   10 10 4   4 - 28

3-point goals: McReynolds 1. Fouled out: None.