The Pella Christian boys basketball team used a well-rounded effort to defeat PCM 64-35 in the season opener for both teams heard live on 92.1 KRLS Monday night.

The Eagles wasted little time taking control of the contest, opening the game with a 15-2 run in the first seven minutes of play, before taking a 17-6 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Pella Christian continued to roll in the second quarter, outscoring the Mustangs 13-7 to hold a 30-13 lead at halftime. The Eagles didn’t let up in the second half, using a 34-22 scoring advantage in the final 16 minutes of play to secure the 29-point victory. Eagles’ senior Gilbert Flagel led all scorers in the game with 21 points, while teammates Trey Steinkamp and Devan Runner each added 11 points in the win. PCM junior Abe Kiernan recorded a career-high 10 points off the bench to lead the Mustangs’ scoring effort. Pella Christian senior Ben Van Wyngarden said it was fun to get the season started on the right note and to build up some momentum for their other two games this week.

“It really feels good to have a great start to the year. You know I have a little bit of nerves, and I’m sure everybody did, but it really felt good to just get this win out of the way and move on to tomorrow and the rest of the week.”

The Pella Christian boys start the season 1-0 overall, and return to action in the back half of the Eagles’ first doubleheader of the year tonight at Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont. The doubleheader in Eddyville can be heard live on the KRLS2 stream, beginning with pregame coverage at 5:45 pm, and tip-off of the girls game following at 6 pm.

The PCM boys open the year 0-1 overall, and they also return to the court tonight in the back half of the Mustangs’ first home Heart of Iowa Conference doubleheader against West Marshall, which begins with the girls game at 6 pm.