PC closes the year with one point loss

Mike Helle

The Pella Christian boys’ basketball team’s season ended last Thursday night at Albia. The Eagles fell to the Blue Demons 42-41 in a district semi-final.

Albia’s Jordan Simpson broke a 41-41 tie when he made one of two free throws with two seconds left in the game. Pella Christian was unable to get off a shot at the end of the game.

“In a game like this, it comes down to one possession,” stated Pella Christian coach Larry Hessing. We had some breakdowns on the offensive end of the floor that cost us. We threw the ball away too many times tonight.”

PC trailed most of the game. Albia led 9-8 at the end of the first quarter. The Blue Demons increased their advantage to 24-18 at the half. The Eagles were on fire to start the second half, as they scored the first nine points to grab a 27-24 lead. Albia answered with three three-pointers in the closing minutes of the quarter that put them back in front 33-31.

P-C played from behind most of the fourth quarter as Albia nailed a couple more threes. The Eagles drew even at 39-39 when Curtis Rozenboom hit the team’s only shot from beyond the arc, with a little over three minutes left in the game. Jon Holwerda gave Pella Christian a rare lead at 41-39. Albia tied it at 41-41, and then strategy entered into the game.

Pella Christian had the ball and was running the clock down when they committed a turnover with 50 seconds left in the game. Albia then elected to go for the final shot. With the clock winding down, Simpson drew a foul as he went for a lay-up.

Albia made 10 shots from beyond the arc. They were led in scoring by Zach Hutt 13 points, and Kevin Wynn 12 points.

Kyle Nikkel led the Eagles with 18 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists. Chase Carlson scored nine points. Curtis Rozenboom and Alex Branderhorst had seven and five points respectively. They each also had four rebounds. Jon Holwerda rounded out the scoring with two points.

“I thought that we played solid defense all night long,” commented Hessing. “We ran our offense a little better in the second half. We really missed Sam’s (Twedt) outside shooting tonight.”

Hessing said the team had a good season. “As a whole, we had a good season. We were young, and for the most part, this was a whole new team this year. Our losses were to some really good teams.”

Pella Christian finishes the season 15-7.

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