Ideally the members of the Pella Christian girls basketball team are still basking in the afterglow of their outstanding run to the Class 2A State Championship game, but before long the returning members will start setting their sights on next season. Lady Eagles’ head coach Kevin Van Maanen says he hopes the success achieved this past season will motivate players to put in the necessary work to improve individually and as a team.

“Hopefully our kids will see the excitement we had at the State Tournament and want to put forth that effort again,” said Van Maanen. “We’ll take a little break here and let everything sink in a little bit, but it’s getting back in the weight room and starting lifting some weights and getting stronger; and getting out in the game to get in some shooting and work on their game. It starts here pretty quickly, but I think the kids are ready for that and we’ll see how far we can go with it next year.”

The Pella Christian girls basketball team went 23-4 this past season, finishing as the State Runner-up in Class 2A and claiming an outright Little Hawkeye Conference title. The squad graduates seven seniors – including all five starters – from a unit that reached the State Tournament in back-to-back seasons.