The return of Grant Barrick to the line-up for the Pella High boys basketball team has had an obvious impact on the play of the Little Dutch; as the senior guard has averaged over 22 points a game in consecutive wins over Pella Christian and Chariton.  That’s a bit unusual for a team whose style of play often lends itself to a different leading scorer on any given night, but Pella High head coach Mark Core says the recent results may have more to do with the return of a comfortable feel as an offensive unit than anything else.

“Role development is a very big point of emphasis for us. Now it got a little bit sidetracked, or detoured, with Grant Barrick’s injury. In a lot of ways we were developing our roles through the first five games, then we lost Grant for three more; so we did have some adjustments that needed to be made – and quite honestly there were some difficulties and some growing pains,” said Core.

“I think getting Grant back into the line-up has allowed us to settle back into maybe our ideal roles, and as a result, I think, offensively we’re clicking a little bit better than we were.”

The Pella High boys are 6-4 overall and 5-1 in the Little Hawkeye Conference entering tomorrow’s home game with Norwalk.