Flinn hits 23 in Central men’s basketball road victory
Central Dutch Athletics
CEDAR RAPIDS—Guard Adam Flinn (sophomore, Wildwood, Mo., Lafayette HS) rained in a career-high 23 points and forward Jaden Moody (junior, Cambridge, Ballard HS) returned from injury to add 21 as the Central College men’s basketball team surprised Coe College on the road, 87-73 Wednesday.
It’s the first American Rivers Conference win for the young Dutch (3-5 overall, 1-1 conference). Coe, which had knocked off Wartburg College on the road Saturday, put five players in double figures but couldn’t match Central’s shooting. The Dutch hit 53.4 percent for the night, including 38.1 percent from 3-point range. Coe (4-4 overall, 1-2 conference) hit 43.1 percent from the floor.
“I’m excited about how we played,” coach Craig Douma said. “We shot the ball well.
“Adam (Flinn) had another whale of a game. He played tough, he played with confidence and he got to the foul line (8-9).”
Forwards Seth Wood (junior, Branson, Mo.) and Caden Mauck (sophomore, Kansas City, Mo., Blue Springs South HS) each scored 12 and Wood had a monster effort on the boards with 16. He’s averaging 9.8 rebounds a game. Central held a 37-34 rebounding edge.
Moody, the team’s leading scorer with a 16.3-point average, missed the last two games with injury, but played 35 minutes Wednesday.
“It’s great to have Jaden (Moody) back,” Douma said. “He shot the ball well from 3 (3-6) and he played a nice game.”
Central trailed by five points midway through the first half, but a 9-0 run late in the half put the Dutch up 36-28 and they led 38-31 at intermission. Central quickly extended the margin to 49-33 with 17:37 left in the game and Coe got no closer than eight points the rest of the way. Central had a 49-point second half.
“I loved the way we started off the second half,” Douma said. “Then we had kind of a lull but we took their best punch and came right back.”
The first half set the tone.
“I really credit our defense,” Douma said. “Our defense in the first half was outstanding.”
Central’s pre-Christmas gauntlet continues Saturday at perennial Division III power Wis.-Platteville with a 5 p.m. game. The Pioneers are 4-2 and are among those receiving votes in the D3hoops.com top 25 poll. They were upset by American Rivers rival Simpson College 97-86 at Indianola Nov. 20. Wis.-Platteville was 24-5 a year ago, reaching the third round of the NCAA Division III tournament.
“On the road, we know it will be tough and it will be physical,” Douma said. “But I like where we’re at. We’re playing with confidence. We just need to do a good job defensively and we’ve got to rebound.”
