Central Basketball roundup February 19
Central College
Stiff second half costs Central men’s basketball team
STORM LAKE—The Central College men’s basketball team saw a 14-point first-half lead disappear as Buena Vista overwhelmed the Dutch 81-68 in Storm Lake Saturday.
Making a 20-7 run six minutes in, the Dutch held a 33-19 advantage with 6:43 left in the half. But Buena Vista answered with a 15-7 run, dwindling Central’s lead to 40-34 at the break.
Swapping the lead three times and tying the score four times throughout the second half, Buena Vista made its final punch at the 10:39 mark, producing a 17-2 run to hold a 77-62 edge over the Dutch with just over five minutes left to play.
Central shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half but hit just 38.5 percent in the second half. Buena Vista (11-14, 8-8 conference) shot 48.1 percent in the second half, including 50 percent from behind the arc. The Dutch were also outrebounded 37-30.
“In the first half we did well making shots, rebounding and guarding them,” coach Mike Boschee said. “But we didn’t do any of those three in the second half.”
Forward Jack Bruns (junior, Story City, Roland-Story HS) had a game-high 17 points, going 7-for-14 from the floor, and collected six rebounds. Guard Demarco Turner (senior, Des Moines, East HS) had 16 points and four rebounds while forward James Chapline (senior, Ogden) added 13 points and six rebounds.
Central closes out the regular season with a 12-12 overall record and an 8-8 Iowa Conference mark. The Dutch hold the No. 6 seed heading into the six-team league tournament. Central faces third-seeded Dubuque College (15-10, 9-7 conference) Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Dubuque. Splitting their regular season games, Central took a 97-81 road victory Jan. 17 before falling 72-60 at home Feb. 3.
“Hopefully everyone can stay healthy and illness-free the next couple days to make a run in the tournament,” Boschee said. “Winning the tournament and receiving the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III championship is one of our goals.”
Iowa Conference men’s basketball tournament
First round – Tuesday, February 22
#6 Central (12-12, 8-8 conference) at #3 Dubuque (15-10, 9-7 conference), 7 p.m.
#5 Buena Vista (11-14, 8-8 conference) at #4 Simpson (11-14, 8-8 conference), 7 p.m.
Semifinals – Thursday, February 24
Central/Dubuque winner at #2 Coe (17-8, 10-6 conference), 8 p.m.
Buena Vista/Simpson winner at #1 Luther (16-8, 13-3 conference), 7 p.m.
Championship – Saturday, February 26
Semifinal winners at highest remaining seed, TBA
Central battles but falls in women’s basketball season finale
STORM LAKE—The Central College women’s basketball team found an offensive stride for its second-straight game but came up short in a 68-64 season-ending loss to Buena Vista Saturday.
The Dutch jumped to a quick 3-point lead before Buena Vista took control and extended its lead to eight with five minutes left in the half. But Central responded with a 12-6 run, bringing the score within two at the break, 36-34. Central continued to trade points and claw at the Beaver’s lead throughout the second half but was never able to take the lead back.
“They push the ball down the floor and they drive well,” coach Jerry Nikkel said. “We adjusted and did better in the second half but they took advantage of us a few times and just had a bit more of an offense than we had.
“It was a hard-fought loss,” Nikkel said.
Four players scored in double digits and the Dutch saw an uncharacteristic performance in the post area, a spot Central tends to struggle at with such a small lineup.
Forward’s Haley Brillhart (junior, Pella) and AJ Baker (junior, Grinnell) produced game-high efforts of 12 points. Brillhart added nine rebounds and three blocks while Baker had six rebounds.
“We don’t get a lot of points out of the post so that was a good job of scoring for us and good efforts out of those two,” Nikkel said.
Guards Sarah Paulson (junior, Ottumwa) and Annie Sarcone (freshman, Des Moines, Dowling Catholic HS) each had 10 points and sophomore guard Alyssa Schwartz (Titonka, WCLT) came off the bench to chip in nine points and seven rebounds.
With forward Nicole Strasko (sophomore, Roland, Roland-Story HS) out due to injury, Nikkel was impressed with an effort from freshman Hilary Beaird (forward, Burlington), who had seven points and six rebounds in 15 minutes of playing time.
“Beaird really stepped up with Strasko out,” Nikkel said. “She’s improved for us all season.”
Central had 46 rebounds, 16 offensive, compared to 39 boards from Buena Vista (12-13, 8-8 conference).
The Dutch (5-20, 2-14 conference) lose three seniors to graduation, Jordan Waddell (Guthrie Center), Stephanie Ruzicka (Traer, North Tama HS) and Jamie Borland (Oxnard, Calif., Santa Clara College Prep).
Waddell turns in her Dutch jersey holding two school records. With 120 career 3-point field goals made, she edged past the previous record of 118 set by Emily De Jong from 2005-09. Waddell shattered the career 3-point field goals attempted record with 414 attempts, bettering the previous record of 359 set by Molly Parrott from 1998-2002.
With the team’s main contributors coming from underclassmen, Nikkel is encouraged with the returning lineup.
“The bulk of our playing time this year was in the hands of everyone else,” Nikkel said. “As true freshman, Sarcone and Beaird will continue to improve and then we’ve got a core of sophomores that work hard and a core of juniors that will finally be seniors.
“We’re still pretty young and what we’ve got coming back looks good.”
