Guard Abby Johnson’s (sophomore, Ankeny) buzzer-beating lay-up capped a late flurry on a night of offensive frustration to deliver the Central College women’s basketball team it’s elusive first American Rivers Conference win, 60-58 over Buena Vista University Wednesday. Meanwhile the Dutch men’s basketball squad came back from a nine-point second half deficit to down the Beavers 79-70.

Down five with less than two minutes remaining, Central (4-11 overall, 1-5 conference) got a tying bucket from guard Kelsea Hurley (senior, Scottsdale, Ariz., Desert Mountain HS), whose spinning layup danced on the rim before dropping through with 20 seconds left to make it 58-58. Hurley then grabbed a rebound after a critical defensive stop and fired a long outlet pass to Johnson, who was racing down the floor, gathering herself before laying in the winning shot with 1.4 seconds left. Johnson finished with a team-high 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Hurley finished with 13 points and three assists while guard Samantha Scott (sophomore, Davenport, North Scott HS) had 12 points. 

As a nine-point first-half lead ricocheted into a nine-point second-half deficit, the Central men’s basketball team needed a spark, and it came off the bench from junior guards Kaleb and Nolan Brand (Mount Vernon) as the Dutch rebounded for a closing flurry for the win. The Dutch (10-4 overall), who retained a share of first place in the conference at 5-1, trailed 57-48 with 13:26 to play but went on a 19-2 rampage for a 67-59 lead with 5:38 left to reassert command. Nolan Brand had just eight points in 17 minutes of action but also had eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Meanwhile, Kaleb Brand had nine points and two assists. Forward Grant Johnson (senior, Waukee, Van Meter HS) posted his second consecutive double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Forward Kole Tupa (junior, Center Point, Center Point-Urbana HS) had 12 points and Joshua Van Gorp (junior, Pella, Pella Christian HS) had 10 second-half points. 

Central travels to Decorah to meet Luther College in a conference doubleheader that can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS on Saturday starting with the women’s game at 2 p.m.