ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The 2021 Pizza Ranch Classic ended with one of the best – and closest – games of the year for the Raiders as both Trent Hilbrands (Sr., Remsen, Iowa/Le Mars Community) and Alex Van Kalsbeek (So., Orange City, Iowa/MOC-Floyd Valley) score 20+ points to lift the Northwestern College men’s basketball team (6-0, 0-0 GPAC) over a scrappy Bellevue (Neb.) squad (3-4, 0-0 NSAA).
The game started with both teams trading buckets, but the Raiders would build a 10-point lead with ten minutes to go. They would take their largest lead of the game into halftime with a 16-point 42-26 lead. Van Kalsbeek dropped 17 points in the first 20 minutes for Northwestern.
The Bruins would not fold over as they would cut the Raider lead to single digits at 8 points, 67-59 with 5:38 to play. With 1:12 to play, Bellevue cut the Raider lead to one with a layup by Paulo Araujo. The next possession, leading scorer Vinny Belcaster would give Bellevue a late 1-point lead at 71-70 with 34 seconds left on the clock.
That lead wouldn’t last long as Van Kalsbeek laid a ball in to give the Raiders the lead again, and he would ice the game with two clutch free throws with two seconds left. A Bellevue three from Belcaster at the buzzer was off the mark, allowing Northwestern to walk off the court with the 74-71 win.
Four of the five Raider starters saw 30+ minutes of action tonight as the Bruins gave the Raiders all they could muster, but Northwestern was able to stand firm defensively when it mattered most.
Hilbrands recorded 23 points and three steals to help Northwestern avoid defeat, as Van Kalsbeek dropped 27 points and collected seven rebounds. Grant DeMeulenaere (Sr., Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) shared the rock effectively, notching six assists in the victory.
Up Next: The Raiders will open up Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) play next Saturday, November 20 when they hit the road for Crete, Neb. to square off with Doane University.
