Photo courtesy of Troy L. Hugen Photography

As they get ready to return to the court after a two-week hiatus for Christmas Break, the Pella Christian boys basketball team enters the second semester well-tested. 

After opening the season with a 3-0 record, the Eagles dropped their final three games before the holidays. Those losses came to Norwalk, Des Moines Christian, and Grand View Christian, who have a combined record of 19-3 on the winter. Pella Christian head coach Marv Van Wyk says that while they would like to be 6-0 instead of 3-3 coming out of the break, those games will be beneficial in January and February when they get into the heart of their conference schedule.

“You don’t understand the level you got to play at until you actually play at that level or play against somebody at that level and know where that bar is at, right? And that can be an eye opener. It wasn’t a very satisfying eye opener, but sometimes lessons are taken the hard way. So, our guys are upbeat and our ceiling is higher. We’re going to keep getting better and I know they’re going to keep working and stay together.”

The Eagles return to action Friday night with a home-conference game against West Branch at 7:15 pm. Coverage of Friday’s contest can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS and viewed live on the Pella Christian YouTube Channel, beginning with the Scooter’s Coffee Radio Pregame Show at 6:45 pm.