Eagles Basketball Opens 2023 Being Swept by Newton

Posted By: Tyler Crabb
January 4, 2023 @ 5:58 am
Today’s Local Sports

Photo Courtesy of Troy L. Hugen Photography

The Pella Christian basketball teams stumbled out of the gate in the new year, as they opened 2023 being swept on the road at Newton in a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader heard live on KNIAKRLS.com.

The Eagles girls fourth quarter comeback attempt fell just short in a 44-41 loss, while the boys struggled to find consistency offensively in a 50-42 loss.

Down three of their top nine scorers, the Pella Christian girls struggled to get the offense going for most of the game. The Cardinals opened the contest on a 7-0 run and were in control for 23 of the 28 minutes in the game. Trailing 40-22 midway through the fourth quarter, the Eagles finally got the offense going in the final four minutes of the game. After making just four of 18 shots to open the second half, Pella Christian connected on six of their last 10 shots and went 4-4 at the free throw line to cut the lead to three with 14 seconds left. The Eagles’ momentum would run out on the final possession as Joslyn Terpstra’s three pointer before the buzzer came up short, dropping the Eagles to 1-8 overall on the season and 0-4 in the league. Anna Eveland was the team’s leading scorer with 15 points, while Terpstra added 11 in the loss.

In the nightcap of the doubleheader, the Pella Christian boys dug themselves an early 13-3 hole as they connected on just one of 14 shots in the opening quarter. The Eagles rallied in the second quarter to outscore the Cardinals 16-9 but trailed 22-19 after Newton buried a buzzer-beating three before the intermission. Pella Christian hung tight with the Cardinals for most of the second half but struggled to get crucial stops down the stretch as they fell to 4-3 overall on the season and 2-2 in the conference. Tysen De Vries led the scoring attack with 16 points, and Dane Geetings also reached double figures with 12 points.

Both the Pella Christian basketball teams return home on Friday with the first of two Tulip City Showdowns this season with Pella, which can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS.