After the girls squads opened their seasons against one another in Monroe on November 21st, the Pella Christian and PCM boys basketball teams will begin their seasons against each other in Monroe Monday night. 

The Eagles feature a blend of experience and youth coming into the season, returning seven of their top eleven scorers from last season, but just one that recorded more than five points per game. The Mustangs also have a mixture of experience and youth this year, with six of their top eleven scorers returning this winter, with just three that had more than five points per game. Monday’s meeting will be the 27th between the two teams since 2007, with Pella Christian holding a 20-6 advantage in the series. The Eagles have won each of the last seven meetings in the matchup, including last season’s contest 62-57, while PCM’s last win in the series came in a 63-57 victory in 2017. Mustangs head coach Tony Ford knows his team will be tested against the Eagles in their efforts to erase their losing streak in the series.

“Starting out of the gate, we’ve got Pella Christian, and we know how they’re going to play. They’re going to be really good. They’re going to put a lot of pressure on us, and it’s going to be a really hard game to start the season. So, we can’t really ease into our schedule, and nor can we ever it seems like. It feels like everybody’s usually pretty good on our schedule. So, we’re just gonna hit the ground running, five on five, and get after it.”

Eagles head coach Joe Steinkamp knows that previous matchups hold no weight in this season’s contest, and says that he is looking to see how his squad handles adversities early in the year.

“You’re going to have parts of the game where things aren’t going to go your way, and sometimes you’re going to have moments where other teams go on runs, and I think it’s more important how you respond to those moments and not let one play affect the next play. It sounds boring, but that’s what basketball is. It’s just doing your job on the next play, time after time after time, and if you can do that night after night after night, then good things can happen for your team.”

Coverage of Monday night’s boys basketball game between Pella Christian and PCM can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS, beginning with pregame coverage at 7 pm.