Just a few days removed from six of the top ten teams in the Iowa High School Athletic Association 3A boys basketball poll all losing on the same night, the road to Wells Fargo Arena feels open for a lot of underdog runs to the final eight.

Pella’s boys basketball team entered the 2022-23 season with uncertainty about how far they could push toward the top of Class 3A, and as the regular season ends, it feels as if they are among many poised to pull off some tournament run upsets — especially after knocking off #9 in 3A Mt. Pleasant in overtime Tuesday.

Head Coach Derek Schulte says there’s no guarantee they make it out of their own gym Monday against Knoxville — but if they hold serve and advance, he likes his team’s ability to play spoiler along the path to state.

“It’s wide open — and there’s a lot of good teams and a few at the top that have separated themselves, but I don’t remember a time heading into the final week of the regular season where six of the top ten teams in the rankings got beat. I think it just shows the depth that’s out there in the class.”

It won’t be easy for the Dutch, but that’s not a strange feeling for this year’s team, as Pella (12-9 overall) played the 8th toughest schedule in Class 3A, according to power rankings site BCMoore.

Pella opens the tournament trail at home Monday vs. Knoxville, a game that can be heard live on both 92.1 KRLS and 95.3 KNIA.