Varsity Boys Add Two More Wins
Junior Cole Henry muscles in against Pella Christian on Friday night.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Oskaloosa boys varsity basketball has now won four in a row over Pella Christian, and making it their second win of the young season on Friday night, 64-46.
Junior Cole Henry lead all the Indians in scoring with 21, while senior Jarad Kruse added 15 points.
Rian Yates (jr) and Xavier Foster (so) each added 8 points to the effort.
Henry earned the double-double by pulling down 13 rebounds, and Kruse pulled in nine more, with Xavier Foster adding eight rebounds for the Indians.
On Saturday, the Indians made the short trip to Knoxville to face the Panthers.
The battle between these two teams has been an emotional one in the past.
This time, there was little contest as the Indians put away the Panthers 85-62.
Sophomore Xavier Foster put in 22 points on the afternoon, while junior Cole Henry added 17 more.
Spencer Tucker came alive behind the arch, splashing in 5 of 6, ending the afternoon with 16 points.
Defensive standout Tanner DeKock added 9 points for the Indians.
On the board, Henry pulled down 10 for his third double-double of the season.
Foster had six defensive and two offensive rebounds for the Indians.
Oskaloosa Boys Basketball Head Coach Ryan Parker spoke about his team’s effort after the Pella Christian contest, saying he wanted his players to “play harder, and we played harder tonight.”
Wearing a target on their backs this year, the Indians will be facing teams that will be bringing their best to the court, and Parker said the team has seen a lot of zone defense to this point in the season.
With three big players at the core, Parker says the plan is to work inside out, where the marksmanship of Tucker from beyond the arch will play a factor.
Three Indians had scouts evaluating them for future plans.
Xavier Foster may be drawing most of the spotlight for recruitment, getting him extra attention on the floor. “He’s gotta play a little harder too” to not be out of position, added Parker.
The media attention does have some impact on the players says Parker. “Everyone wants to look good.”
“We’ve got to take care of ourselves. If we do that, we’ll be fine,” said Parker of his team.
The Indians take on Centerville Tuesday evening at home. Game time is 7:45 pm.
