March 18, 2024

Gholson sets new NHS career-scoring mark

2A top-ranked Eagles edge Cardinals

PELLA — Newton High senior Connor Gholson became the Cardinal boys’ all-time leading scorer on a night he admitted he’d trade that honor for a team victory. His 3-pointer at the buzzer was off in Friday’s Little Hawkeye Conference contest at 2A No. 1 Pella Christian, leaving the Cardinals on the short-end of a 65-63 decision.

Newton trailed by two and had the ball with 10 seconds remaining in a game, which had the teams trading scoring runs and leads from the start. Cardinal head coach Bill Liley drew up what he wanted his players to do with the basketball.

“I’d go for the win again. Connor was hitting his shots. I honestly thought his shot was in at the end,” Liley said. “Our guys played well from the start to finish. Our offensive execution was championship level. We had some defensive breakdowns, and that was the difference in the game.”

Gholson needed nine points to tie the NHS career-scoring record of 1,076 held by Tyler Wood, 2012-2015. On a 3-pointer late in the second quarter, Gholson took the top spot on the NHS list as he had 11 points in the first half.

“It’s a pretty cool honor to have. There was a little bit of pressure on me, but I always keep team first and focus on winning games,” Gholson said after scoring 23 points Friday to push his total to 1,090 points.

Gholson played two years with Wood for the Cardinals and watched Wood take over the top NHS all-time scoring mark as a senior.

“Being teammates with him was great because of the type of player he was. It was always nice to have that motivation, and he always pushed me in practices. So, to go past him is pretty cool,” Gholson said. “I’d trade it for win any day.”

Trey Vanderlaan and Josh Ventling buried two 3-pointers early in the first quarter to help the Cardinals take a 10-4 lead over Pella Christian. Grayson Graham’s free throw with 1:21 left in the period handed Newton an 18-9 lead at the close of the period.

Newton pushed out to a 27-13 lead midway through the second period. Graham and Gholson each downed treys as the Cardinals led the Eagles, 33-18. Pella Christian ended the half on a 9-0 run to close the gap to 33-27 by the break.

The Eagles tied the game up 33-33 then Newton drained three consecutive 3-pointers — one from Vanderlaan and two from Morgan Maher. Garrett Sturtz had a putback for a 48-43 Newton lead which was followed by back-to-back baskets from Pella Christian’s Scott Haveman and Levi Jungling.

Newton was up 48-47 heading into the fourth quarter. Gholson opened the final eight minutes with a 3-pointer and Graham hit a free throw. The Eagles forged a 54-54 tie with a little more than three minutes remaining in the game.

Gholson broke the tie with a trey, but the Eagles tossed in four unanswered points to lead by one, 58-57. Maher’s basket had Newton back in front then he fouled out of the game sending David Kacmarynski to the line.

With 1:48 on the clock, Newton trailed 60-59 and Gholson scored. A 3-pointer by Jungling put Pella Christian in front 63-61. A basket by Gholson with 30 seconds left tied the game, but a follow shot by Kacmarynski handed the Eagles the lead, 65-63.

Newton shot 57 percent, 25-of-44, from the field while Pella Christian went 26-of-42 from the field for 63 percent. The Cardinals hit 11 3-pointers — four by Vanderlaan, who increased his Class 4A-leading 3-point field goal made numbers to 36.

Vanderlaan scored 12 points and Sturtz had 10 points for Newton. Sturtz dished out five assists and Graham had two steals. Gholson and Vanderlaan each had three rebounds.

Jungling finished with 21 points for Pella Christian and had three of his team’s five 3-pointers. Kacmarynski added 16 points and Alex Pringle had 12.

“This is a tough conference to play in. I learned this first time through the conference this season that we are very good basketball team and very competitive,” Liley said. “Yes, we could be sitting at 6-1 instead of 3-4 in the conference. We just have to shore up a couple of things for the second round at these teams.”

Newton (7-4) is idle Tuesday. It hosts Indianola on Friday to began the second round of Little Hawkeye Conference play.

“Tonight’s game and the Pella game, we executed at a high level on offense. I liked our execution, but we need to focus on defense. That’s where the game is for us,” Gholson said as the team moves into the second time through the conference.

Newton 18-15-15-15—63

Pella Christian 9-18-16-22—65

Newton (FG/3-pt): Sturtz 5-0-2-10, Graham 0/1-2-0-5, Gholson 7/3-0-2-23, Vanderlaan 0/4-0-2-12, Ventling 1/1-0-2-5, Maher 1/2-0-5-8. TOTALS: 14/11-2-13-63.

Pella Christian (FG/3-pt): Howerzyl 0/1-0-1-3, Jungling 5/3-2-3-21, Roose 0/1-0-0-3, Flagel 0-0-1-0, Haveman 1-2-0-4, VanderMolen 2-0-0-4, Pringle 5-2-1-12, Kacmarynski 7-2-3-16, Venstra 1-0-3-2. TOTALS: 21/5-8-12-65.

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