PELLA — A 16-4 run in the game's final 5:18 propelled Simpson College to a 79-73 victory over the Central College men's basketball team Saturday.
After trailing the entire first half and trailing by as many as 12 points in the second, Central (14-7, 5-5 Iowa conf.) mounted a comeback against the Storm (13-8, 6-4 Iowa conf.). The Dutch took the lead for the first time at the 13:33 mark and had a 69-61 lead with just over five minutes remaining, before Simpson's big 16-4 run.
"They made plays and we didn't," coach Craig Douma said. "We turned down some shots in that stretch and got a little passive. We went away from what we were doing."
Pete Walker (junior, Red Oak) was the catalyst for the Dutch offense with a team-high 16 points, but also contributing seven rebounds and three assists.
"He did a great job of being aggressive and attacking the rim," Douma said. "We need him to be aggressive and continue to attack the rim because it opens up the rest of the offense.
Walker was one of four Dutch players with double-digit scoring. Trashawn Boyd (sophomore, Normal, Ill., University HS) had 15 points while Austin Glawe (junior, Aurelia, Iowa, Sioux Central HS) and Tate Handsaker (Nevada) each had 11.
Free throw shooting was excellent for the Dutch again Saturday, hitting 17-of-18 from the line including 6-of-6 from Walker.
"We knocked free throws down," Douma said. "We got to the bonus early because we played aggressive in the second half. We didn't do that in the first half."
Central edged the Storm in rebounding 39-35, led by Colby Taylor (junior, Creston) who had 11.
The Dutch will host Buena Vista Wednesday at 8 p.m. in P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium on the back end of a women's-men's twinbill. Having lost in overtime 97-94 against the Beavers on January 23, Douma knows his team needs to play a complete game to avenge that loss.
"We've got to put two halves together," he said. "We did not show up in the first half at Storm Lake. They're a good team even though the record doesn't show that. They're one of the more high-scoring teams in the league."
Live stats and video for the game will be available at central.edu/athletics.
