Slow start plagues Newton girls in loss to Pella

Newton’s girls basketball team was held to four points in the first half and just never got things going offensively during a 55-23 home loss to Pella on Friday night.

The Dutch led 26-4 at halftime and out-rebounded the Cardinals 45-28 during the Little Hawkeye Conference matchup. Newton also turned the ball over 35 times.

“Their pressure was all over us,” Newton girls basketball coach Eric Vander Velden said. “Nothing went right for us offensively.”

After scoring four points in the first half, Newton put in 13 in the third and six in the fourth. But it was too little, too late.

The Cardinals (3-13 overall, 1-9 in the LHC) shot 26.3 percent from the floor and made 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.

Pella had an eight-point advantage at the line and made six more 3-pointers. The Dutch also turned it over 19 times.

“We played a 2-3 zone in the first half and the defense worked really well,” Vander Velden said. “We just couldn’t execute offensively.”

Marissa Cunningham led the Cardinals with six points, five rebounds and four blocks off the bench. Audrey Rausch had seven points and five steals.

Sophia Reynolds registered four points and three steals, Rori Nehring tallied two rebounds, two steals and three blocks and Emma Rogers grabbed four boards and dished out two assists. Kealey Manning pulled down three rebounds.

Alex Riney added two rebounds and four steals, Cadie Horn finished with two boards and two steals and Jaz Cooper grabbed two rebounds off the bench.

Starting point guard Kya Butler warmed up but did not play as she continues to miss time with an injury.

Anna Vander Waal led the Dutch (10-6, 5-5) with 15 points. Mia Warner registered 10 points and nine rebounds.