The Hancock boys basketball team competed in three basketball games last week to kick off the 2025-26 season. The Owls started on the road with a thrilling 51-50 win over WCA in Barrett, thanks to a go-ahead bucket from Preston Kisgen Dec. 2 in Barrett. Next, the team competed in the Wabasso tournament Dec. 4 and Dec. 6. They started with a 65-48 win over MACCRAY and next battled Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop and blasted Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop in Wabasso 84-37 to start the year 3-0.
Hancock 51, WCA 50
It was a tale of two halves in Hancock’s season opener in Barrett. It was all Owls in the first half with stifling defense, but the Knights came back in the second half, but Kisgen hit a shot in the closing seconds to give Hancock a one-point win in the opener.
Hancock suffocated the Knights in the first half, holding WCA to well under 20 points. The Owls played from in front, but did not run away with the game, heading into the locker room with a 24-13 advantage.
WCA came alive in the second half and battled their way all the way to a lead with under a minute to go in the game. With just 12 seconds left on the clock, Preston Kisgen hit a shot to put the Hancock Owls up 51-50 and the defense held up to get a huge stop to secure the narrow win in the season opener.
Luca Felix led the team in scoring with 17 points and added five assists and two steals. Kisgen also had double figures with 14 points and led the team with nine rebounds. Preston Feucht had seven points and Eli Mattson added six.
Hancock 65, MACCRAY 48
In the opening contest of the Wabasso Tournament, the Owls took on the MACCRAY Wolverines from the Camden Conference. Unlike their first game, Hancock grabbed a lead in the first half and never gave it up, running to a 65-48 victory.
Hancock had things going on both ends of the floor in the first half. They nearly doubled up the Wolverines, jumping out to a 39-20 advantage at the halftime break.
MACCRAY played better in the second half, even winning the final 18 minutes by two minutes, but Hancock had enough of a cushion to cruise to a 17-point win.
Felix led the team in scoring again with 17 points off three three-pointers. He also led the team with six rebounds, eight assists and six steals. Kisgen and Mattson both added 14 points. Kisgen had three three balls, six rebounds and five assists. Feucht was also in double figures with 13 points.
Hancock 84, GFW 37
The Owls stayed perfect in the Wabasso Tournament with a dominant showing against GFW. Thanks to 24 points from Kisgen, Hancock blew out GFW 84-37 to improve to 3-0 on the season.
The rout started early for the Owls and they controlled the game from tip to buzzer. Hancock nearly doubled up GFW in the first half and held a huge 53-27 advantage at the halftime break.
The Owls continued to cruise in the second half, outscoring GFW 31-10 in the final 18 minutes to secure a 47-point win.
Kisgen led a group of four Owls in double figures with 24 points. Felix chipped in with 17 points and led the team with seven assists. Jett Nuest added 11 points and Meierding added 10.
The Owls host their home opener Dec. 9 in Hancock in their first Little Eight Conference game against Underwood. Next, the team will be back on the road to play Border West in Graceville in another conference matchup Thursday, Dec. 11.
