The Iowa Mennonite School boys’ basketball team gave the defending River Valley Conference south division champs the West Branch Bears a fight on Friday, but ultimately fell 56-37 in the annual Hall of Pride scrimmage.

On their home court, IMS jumped all over the Bears early for a quick 12-5 lead, thanks in part to a pair of threes from Cole Ours and Mitchell Schmieder. The Bears clawed their way back and took their first lead of the game late in the first half to have a 25-22 edge into the break. Both teams traded blows in the third with the swinging point being late in the quarter when an IMS turnover led to a Bears three to put them up 37-26. A lot of players got in the fourth for both teams as the Bears held on for the 56-37 victory.

The Bears’ Beau Cornwell led all scorers with 23 points. For IMS Ours finished the night with a team-high nine points, Reggie Borntrager had eight, and Schmieder added seven.

Admission to the annual Hall of Pride scrimmage was a non-perishable food item to donate to local food pantries. Proceeds also went to support the Richard Jacobson Education Fund at the Hall of Pride.

Iowa Mennonite officially kicks off their season Tuesday hosting Lone Tree.