SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – The (RV) Northwestern College men’s basketball team (9-4, 2-3 GPAC) picked up a huge road win – snapping a two-game skid – against a scrappy Dordt Defender squad (10-3, 2-2 GPAC), 71-67, behind three Raiders in double digits inside De Witt Gymnasium on the campus of Dordt University.
“That was big time,” noted head coach Kris Korver. “Geddes making some clutch free throws and Onken hitting a couple of huge three-point shots, stepping into the big moment tonight.”
Grant DeMeulenaere (Sr., Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) opened the contest with the three and the Raiders would stay on the attack the rest of the half in the battle for Sioux County. Jesse Van Wyk (Sr., Sully, Iowa/Lynnville-Sully) made his presence felt early with four points and four rebounds.
Matt Onken (R-So., Marshall, Minn./Marshall) hit a three to end the half for the Raiders, extending their lead to seven at 36-29 heading into the halftime break. Onken’s late three was his second of the game to silence the Dordt crowd, helping to keep the Defenders at bay. Trent Hilbrands (Sr., Remsen, Iowa/Le Mars Community) led all scorers with 13 first half points. Onken grabbed five rebounds in the opening 20 minutes.
“The bench played awesome,” noted Korver. “Tonight, the guys really executed our game plan as our guys took away the easy stuff.”
Northwestern takes their biggest lead of the game at 10 thanks to a right corner 3-pointer from Conner Geddes (Sioux Falls, S.D./Harrisburg) – his first points of the night. A Dordt dunk gets the Defender faithful on their feet, but they would be immediately silenced by a top of the key three from Hilbrands. The Raiders continued to keep their distance despite a rowdy crowd as the second half progressed.
With just over a minute to play, Dordt took a time out trailing by six, 68-62. A half a minute later, Dordt cuts the Northwestern lead to just three, 68-65 with 37 seconds on the clock. A steal out of the Raider time out yet again allowed Dordt to cut the lead, this time down to one at 68-67.
Breaking the press, Dordt would send Geddes to the free throw line. He would sink both free throws to give Raiders a three-point advantage. Dordt would take a deep three and not convert, as Geddes would seal the deal at the line, making 1-of-2 for a 71-67 Northwestern victory.
The intensity was there all night in the rivalry, but Northwestern would keep Dordt at arm’s length most of the second half, while clamping down when it mattered most late. Onken had another career night, tying his career-high with 22 points, leading the team in scoring. He also secured eight rebounds in the Raider victory. Hilbrands dropped 20 points, while Alex Van Kalsbeek (So., Orange City, Iowa/MOC-Floyd Valley) had 14 points and a team-high four assists. Korver concluded, “Dordt’s a good squad and it was a really good GPAC win!”
Up Next: Northwestern welcomes No. 18-ranked Morningside to the Bultman Center on Saturday, December 11 to wrap up the 2021 calendar year, before getting a Christmas break.
