Injuries and sickness have plagued the Pella Christian girls’ basketball team the last week-and-a-half, and coach Kevin Van Maanen has had to turn to his bench to make some spot starts in his squad’s last few games. One player that has really come up big lately is Hannah Beltman. The 6’1” sophomore is the tallest player listed on the roster, and in the absence of Lauren Jungling off the starting line-ups the last few games, has contributed some quality minutes for her Eagles’ team. Van Maanen said that if she keeps up her intensity, they could very well have another player they can rely on off the bench if his team gets healthy by the postseason.
“She actually started last Saturday for us because Lauren [Jungling] was out,” Van Maanen said. “We talked to coaches; ‘Who are we going to go to?’ They said, ‘Let’s go with Hannah. Use her size.’ She’s really played well, last week, Saturday, too, and tonight. I’m hoping she just keeps moving on, and if she does that, maybe we do get healthy by tournament time, we’ll have another sub we can rely on, so we’re hoping so.”
Pella Christian’s girls received a first round bye in their regional bracket, and will play the winner of Van Buren – Pekin this coming Tuesday at home at 7:00 p.m.