April 16, 2024

Taylor, Central in familiar situation

Fifth-seeded Dutch at No. 1 seed Nebraska Wesleyan Thursday

By LARRY PETERSON

Central's Colby Taylor drives to the basket during Tuesday's 76-66 victory at Simpson College in the Iowa Conference tournament. The senior from Creston had 14 points and seven rebounds. The Dutch play tonight at Nebraska Wesleyan in the semifinal round in Lincoln, Nebraska. (CNA photo)

INDIANOLA — Colby Taylor hopes history repeats itself.

The Central College men’s basketball senior from Creston is part of another Dutch team hoping to make a run through the Iowa Conference Tournament to a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament.

Last year Central was seeded fifth and had to go on the road three times to secure the conference tourney championship and trip to the national tournament.

This year the Dutch carry the No. 5 seed again.

If the Dutch (15-11) are going to qualify for this year’s national event next month in Salem, Virginia, they will have to go through the top two teams from the Iowa Conference in the regular season.

Central halted a four-game losing streak against No. 4 seed Simpson College Tuesday night, 76-66.

Taylor and Pete Walker of Red Oak each scored 14 points to lead the Dutch, despite both sitting out much of the first half with two fouls. Taylor also grabbed seven rebounds and Walker had four assists. Combined, Taylor and Walker were 9-of-9 from the free throw line.

The win sends the Dutch to Lincoln, Neb., Thursday night to face top-seeded Nebraska Wesleyan, which shared the regular season Iowa Conference crown with Loras College of Dubuque.

If Central can duplicate Tuesday’s feat and avenge two regular-season losses on Thursday, the championship opponent Saturday could be Loras, which takes on Wartburg in the other semifinal Thursday.

“We definitely know we can do it,” said Taylor, who has been part of two conference championships in his career at Central. He is the school’s all-time leading scorer and ranks second in career rebounds. “We’ve gone on the road three times in a week and done it before. We lost both games this season against Nebraska Wesleyan, but just like Simpson, we had late leads in both and we know we can beat them.”

The Dutch were in a precarious position at Simpson Tuesday, with Taylor, Walker and Kyle Smith all sitting out several minutes with foul issues as the Dutch managed a 32-31 halftime lead. The Dutch outscored the Storm 44-35 in the second half.

Four players scored in double figures for Central. After Taylor and Walker’s 14, Austin Glawe had 13 and Nick Drucker tallied 11. Five different Dutch players had at least five rebounds.

“We have a lot of different guys that can score and that’s the way we’re playing right now,” Central coach Craig Douma said. “We’re sharing the basketball. Our guys are playing good basketball right now, we’re healthy and they believe in each other. They’re playing with some toughness now, and that always gives you a chance to win.”

Chargers advance

Another former Creston Panther is in conference tournament play this week. Sophomore Jay Wolfe is a sophomore starter for NAIA 12th-ranked Briar Cliff and Jackson Lamb of Nodaway Valley is a freshman reserve guard.

The Chargers, regular season champions of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, opened conference tourney play Wednesday night with a 96-79 victory over Dordt College in Sioux City.

Briar Cliff, 25-6, advances to the GPAC semifinals at home at 3 p.m. Saturday against crosstown rival Morningside (21-9).

Second-seeded Northwestern College, hosts third-seeded Dakota Wesleyan Saturday at 3 p.m. in Orange City.

The GPAC final is set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the highest remaining seed.