April 18, 2024

Wood earns top scorer spot; Cardinals lose to Pella

By Jocelyn Sheets

Newton High senior Tyler Wood drives to the basket against Pella in the teams’ earlier meeting this season in Newton. Tuesday, Wood scored 24 points in a 97-60 loss at Class 3A top-ranked Pella. His 24 points elevated Wood to the top spot on the NHS boys’ all-time scoring list with 1,025 points. (Jocelyn Sheets)

PELLA — Tyler Wood drained seven 3-ponters on the night. He became Newton High’s all-time leading scorer on a four-point play — a 3-pointer and a free throw — with 42 seconds left in the third quarter of Tuesday’s game.

It just wasn’t enough. The senior finished with 24 points, but Class 3A Pella’s Little Dutch rolled to a 97-60 win over the Cardinals in Little Hawkeye Conference play.

Pella clinched at least a share of the LHC championship at 9-2 in conference play. The Little Dutch improved to 16-2 overall.

Newton fell to 2-9 in LHC action and is 7-11 overall. The Cardinals wrap up conference play at Norwalk Friday.

Pella raced out to a 5-0 lead Tuesday. Senior Devin Shores scored to get the Cardinals on the board.

Wood found his rhythm from outside the 3-point arc, hitting three treys in the first quarter. With the help of several defensive stops, the Cardinals pulled to within two points, 15-13.

A basket by Newton junior Joseph Banfield tied the game at 15-all. Pella was able to gain a 20-15 lead by the end of the period.

Newton’s opening basket of the second periods was a two-handed dunk by Jordan Travis off a lob pass from Wood. Unfortunately, the Cardinals’ offense stalled out as they scored just seven points in the frame.

The Little Dutch took control of the contest with a 23-point surge. They led 43-22 at the break.

Newton scored 26 points in the third quarter. Pella countered with 32 points. Pella put the finishing touches on the victory at home on a 22-12 run in the fourth quarter.

Wood had 1,001 points going into Tuesday’s contest. With his 24 points against Pella, he moved pass Curt Greeley’s 1,020 points. Greeley played for Newton from 2002 to 2006.

Wood is only the second NHS player to score 1,000 points in a career. He has 1,025 points with three more regular season games to go.

Connor Gholson scored 14 points for Newton and Banfield ended up with 10 points. The Cardinals were 10-of-13 from the free-throw line.

Pella had 11 3-pointers in its 39 field goals made in the game. Five players scored in double figures.

Isaac Naaktgeboren led the way for Pella with 19 points. Grant Judkins added 13 points while Will Warner scored 12.

Pella also got 11 points from Payson Vande Lune and 10 points from Ryan Van Wyk.

Newton 15-7-26-12—60

Pella 20-23-32-22—97

Newton (FG/3-pt): Shores 1-0-0-2, Stout 0-0-1-0, Wood 0/7-3-2-24, Banfield 4-2-1-10, Gholson 4/1-3-0-14, Easley 2-0-2-4, Travis 2-0-1-4, Sturtz 0-0-2-0, Ventling 0-2-0-2.

Pella (FG/3-pt): Vande Lune 2/2-1-2-11, Mack 2-0-0-4, Naakteborne 6/2-1-1-19, Johnson 0-4-0-4, Warner 5-2-2-12, Judkin 2/3-0-1-13, Baugh 1/2-0-2-8, Scholten 3/1-0-3-9, Van Wyk 5-0-0-10, Jansen 2/1-0-2-7. TOTALS: 28/11-8-15-97.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com