Buena Vista escapes Central men’s basketball team
PELLA—The effort there was there but the second-half shooting wasn’t as Buena Vista University escaped the Central College men’s basketball team Wednesday, 73-69.
The Dutch (6-17 overall, 3-12 American Rivers) led by as many as 10 points early in the second half and were up 67-63 with 2:27 left but were outscored 10-2 the rest of the way. “The effort was there, the defense was there and we outrebounded them,” coach Craig Douma said. “We played well enough to win the game, but you’ve got to make some baskets, too. That’s what it comes down to.”
Central knocked down five 3-point baskets in the first half but was 1-of-12 from long range in the second half and shot 37.0% from the field. For the night, Buena Vista (14-11 overall, 11-5 conference) hit 48.2% from the field.
“We got great looks and we took care of the basketball,” Douma said. “But you have to make shots and we didn’t make shots.”
Still, Douma likes the energy his team is playing with. He noted significant improvement since Buena Vista raced past Central 86-70 at Storm Lake Jan. 12.
“Compared to up there, it was a completely different game,” Douma said. “We weren’t even in the game up there. Now, we’re a whole new team. We’re really playing good basketball.”
The Dutch held a 40-30 rebounding advantage.
Guard Kade Terrell (senior, Montrose, Colo.) had 15 points while forward Caden Mauck (5th-year, Kansas City, Mo., Blue Springs South HS) had 13 and guard Drew Edwards (junior, Eden Prairie, Minn.) had 11 with five rebounds and four assists. Center Joshua Van Gorp (sophomore, Pella, Pella Christian HS) had seven rebounds.
“Caden (Mauck) played fairly well and rebounded well,” Douma said. “Kade Terrell hit some shots and did a good job. I felt like we shared the basketball well.”
Douma also cited Kaleb Brand (sophomore, Mount Vernon) for his play off the bench.
“Kaleb had eight points and four rebounds,” Douma said. “I thought he did some good things.”
Mauck inched closer to the career 1,000-point mark and has 996 with one game remaining. Central closes the regular season Saturday against Simpson College. It’s a women’s-men’s conference doubleheader and Senior Day for both Dutch squads, with the men’s game starting at approximately 4 p.m. Live stats and a video webcast can be accessed at athletics.central.edu and the games will also be broadcast on KRLS-FM (92.1). Simpson is 5-19 overall and 2-13 in conference play after suffering a 75-66 loss against Nebraska Wesleyan University at home Wednesday. Central was a 75-66 winner over Simpson in the teams’ first meeting at Indianola Jan. 19.
“We want to finish it right for the seniors and send them out the right way,” Douma said.
