It was a dominant second half of action following a back-and-forth first two quarters for the #9 in 3A Pella boys basketball team in a 53-37 victory over conference-rival Newton, as heard live on 92.1 KRLS Thursday night.

Both teams traded the lead or had the game tied ten times in the first quarter, only for the Dutch to take a narrow lead just before the first buzzer — an advantage they did not lose for the remainder of the game, despite the Cardinals keeping it close until halftime. A 16-6 3rd quarter gave the home team enough breathing room to control the final eight minutes.

Head Coach Derek Schulte says he was excited to see his team win in a contest in which their offense wasn’t clicking; Pella shot at an 18% clip from three-point range and was 5 of 13 from the free throw line.

Jack McGuire led the Dutch with 19 points and Austin Schulte tallied 18.

Pella improves to 18-6 overall and takes on No. 7 in 3A ADM in the 3A substate finals on Monday. The Dutch are seeking the school’s 20th state tournament appearance in program history and 12th since 2001. Coverage begins Monday at 6:30 p.m. on 92.1 KRLS as Pella tries for back-to-back final eight appearances.