Pella rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to twice tie Seargent Bluff-Luton in the game’s final frame – but the Warriors never let the Little Dutch take the lead as they pulled away for a 66-55 victory in the opening round of the class 3-A state tournament in a game heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

Four second-quarter three-pointers aided Sergeant Bluff-Luton as they built a 13-point halftime lead, 31-18, that swelled to 14 early in the third.

Held without a point in the first 16 minutes, Pella’s Ryan Van Wyk exploded for 12 in the third quarter as the Little Dutch used pressure defense to open up a transition offense that allowed them to get back in the game.

But Pella could never hit the go-ahead shot, and the Warriors finished the game on a 13-2 run to win it.

Assistant Pella Coach Roger DeWaard talked about the mood in the locker room after the season-ending defeat.

“The thing that I love about this group of guys, and particularly these seniors, is that they’re not defined by what happens on a field or on a court. They’ve got great futures and they’ve got their head on straight. When you put something into a season the way we have, and it matters to them, it’s obviously a sad locker room and they’re disappointed that it didn’t end a different way. But they’re going to walk out with their heads high and be proud of what they accomplished.”

Van Wyk led Pella with 19 points, all in the second half, and Donovan Holterhaus added 15.

Pella’s season ends with a record of 22-3, while Sergeant Bluff-Luton will advance to tomorrow night’s semifinals against West Delaware.