img_20201204_170738522

Two area teams met up to open Little Hawkeye Conference Basketball action Friday evening as Norwalk played host to Pella Christian. The Warrior girls completed a comeback effort with a 52-50 win, while the Norwalk boys followed with a 79-56 victory, as aired on 92.1 KRLS.

The Norwalk girls started strong following two games of slow starts, and jumped out to a 19-16 lead after one. The lead grew to 31-24 by halftime, but the third quarter is when the game turned on its side. Pella Christian began a furious comeback attempt, starting the quarter on a 14-0 run, and Norwalk’s first points of the second half didn’t come until 41 seconds to go in the third. The Warriors began their comeback, chipping away at the lead and eventually tying the game in the final minute.

With a chance to win the game at the buzzer, a Pella Christian turnover gave Norwalk’s Jocelyn Bice a path to the basket for a transition layup with 2.8 seconds remaining, giving Norwalk a 52-50 lead. The Eagles were unable to get a shot up in the remaining time, and the Warriors came out on top for the first time this season. Head Coach Jill Martin says her team fought to the end amidst the adversity.

Bice and Bren Moritz each scored 12 points to lead the way for Norwalk. Allison Van Gorp led Pella Christian with 22 and Emma Witzenberg added 17. Pella Christian drops to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in Little Hawkeye Conference play. Norwalk is now 1-2 and starts 1-0 in the conference.

A pair of teams in search of their first win met up in the boys game. Pella Christian held the early advantage and led 17-16 after one. But a fierce scoring attack by Norwalk, coupled with lockdown defense and cold Eagle shooting held Pella Christian to just four points in the second quarter. The Warriors kept pouring it on in the third and coasted to the easy victory in the fourth. Pella Christian Head Coach JD Boer says his team was struggling defensively.

Norwalk Coach Chris Larson was pleased with how his team responded after a tougher first quarter.

Four Warriors scored in double figures, led by Cole Tunender with 16. Levi Schelhaas topped the scoring leaderboard for Pella Christian with 13 points. Pella Christian falls to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Norwalk moves to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the Little Hawkeye Conference.

Both schools will be back in action Monday for non-conference games. Pella Christian hosts PCM, which will air live on 92.1 KRLS. Norwalk travels to Winterset, which can be heard live on 94.3 KNIA.

Tags: , , ,