Buena Vista uses rebounding advantage to hand Central men’s basketball loss
PELLA—Central College couldn’t make a first-half lead stand up as Buena Vista University used a dominant showing on the glass in a 90-75 men’s basketball decision Wednesday night.
Central (4-13 overall, 1-7 American Rivers) led by as many as nine points, holding a 29-20 advantage 9:11 left in the half. But Buena Vista scrambled for a 45-42 lead at intermission and never trailed again, saddling the Dutch with their ninth consecutive loss.
Guard Adam Flinn (junior, St. Louis, Mo., Lafayette HS) rained in a game-high 28 points with five assists as Central put four players in double figures.
“Adam had a good offensive night,” coach Craig Douma said. “He shot the ball well.”
Guard Sean Kostyk (junior, Cape Coral, Fla., Mariner HS) had 13 points, forward Keaton Rodgers (freshman, Peoria, Ariz., Sandra Day O’Connor HS) added 12 and forward Caden Mauck (junior, Kansas City, Mo., Blue Springs South HS) had 10 with six rebounds.
Buena Vista outshot Central 44.0% to 41.4% but did most of its damage on the offensive boards with a 19-5 edge, scoring 18 second-chance points.
“The guys battled, I thought they battled the whole game, but it’s all about guys finishing plays,” coach Craig Douma said. “We lost the game in one area in one area only. Down the stretch we had four stops and they had four offensive rebounds right in a row. We just didn’t finish defensively at times.”
Rodgers hit three consecutive 3-point buckets in a 2-minute span midway through the second half as the Dutch clawed within five points.
“That’s the best Keaton’s played in a while,” Douma said. “He gave us some spark there. He hit some shots and he did some good things defensively.”
Despite injuries and the losing streak, the young Dutch continue to scrap, Douma said.
“The morale is good,” he said. “The guys are hungry, they’re still fighting. If they keep fighting, good things are going to come our way the second half of the season. Something’s going to go in our favor. We’ve just got to keep putting ourselves in position to win games like that.”
Central is at Coe College in Cedar Rapids Saturday for a women’s-men’s doubleheader with the men’s game starting at 4 p.m. The Kohawks are 10-7 overall and 5-3 in league play after an 81-74 victory at home against Loras College Wednesday. Coe clipped the Dutch 86-76 at Pella Jan. 4.
Saturday’s games will be broadcast on KRLS-FM (92.1) and via www.kniakrls.com with Jon Mohwinkle calling the action.
