PELLA—Recognized for the fourth year in a row, the Central College's men's basketball team has received the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award while three Dutch players were tabbed for the NABC Honors Court.
           
The team award recognizes programs that complete the year with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The Dutch roster combined for a 3.31 GPA.
           
Kaleb Brand (fifth year, Mount Vernon), Eli Kading (senior, Casey, ACGC HS) and Kip Tupa (senior, Blair, Neb.) were named to the Honors Court, which recognizes juniors and seniors with cumulative GPAs of 3.20 or higher. Brand graduated with a 3.83 GPA with a business management major, Tupa posted a 3.41 GPA as an engineering major and Kading carries a 3.21 GPA with an accounting major.
           
More than 2,400 players were named to the NABC Honors court with nearly 400 programs also recognized.
           
Central posted a 17-12 record and a 9-7 American Rivers mark.