For the first time since 2015-2016, the Central College men’s basketball team won the American Rivers Conference Tournament championship by defeating Nebraska Wesleyan 68-57, and the game was broadcast live on 92.1 KRLS.

En route to earning their fourth conference tournament championship, the Dutch had to outlast a physical Prairie Wolves’ squad. In a contest that featured seven ties and eight lead changes, the two teams went into the halftime break knotted at 37-37. Out of the intermission, the game remained back and forth until the 11:54 mark of the second half, when Central went on a 16-0 run and never looked back. Over the final 20 minutes of the game, the Dutch defense held the Prairie Wolves to just 23.5% shooting from the field, 19% from three, and allowed zero free throw attempts. 

Joshua Van Gorp led the team with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while adding nine rebounds, one assist, two blocks, and three steals. On the defensive end of the floor, Van Gorp limited Nebraska Wesleyan’s top scorer and rebounder Jack Groeteke to just four points and two rebounds. Karson Wehde scored 13 points while also collecting nine rebounds for Central, while Owen Schipper chipped in 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Grant Uecker provided a spark off the bench with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Kaleb Brand scored eight points and dished out three assists. For the game, Central shot 44% from the field and 33% from three-point range, while also recording 15 second chance points and going 17-23 from the free throw line.

With the win, the Dutch secured the conference berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament with the first round starting Friday. Central will learn their tournament opponent and location during the Tournament Selection Show on Monday at 11 am.