PELLA—Central College got 43 points from guards Jaden Moody (junior, Cambridge, Ballard HS) and Shimar Jones (Marshall, Texas) but couldn't put the brakes on sharpshooting Loras College in a season-ending 111-80 men's basketball loss Saturday.
           
The Dutch close at 8-17 overall and 5-11 in the American Rivers, good for seventh place, just outside of the six-team league tourney.
           
Moody hit six 3-pointers and had 23 points while Jones had four threes and closed with 20 in his final Central game. Forward Caden Mauck (sophomore, Kansas City, Mo., Blue Springs South HS) added 14 points. Guard Jamel McKnight (senior, Austin, Texas, Hendrickson HS) and forward Seth Wood (junior, Branson, Mo.) each had five rebounds while guard Adam Flinn (sophomore, Wildwood, Mo., Lafayette HS) passed out six assists.
           
"It's a tough loss but I'm proud of our effort," coach Craig Douma said. "We battled."
           
Central grabbed a quick 9-2 lead but couldn't sustain its early momentum, staying close most of the first half but trailing 52-45 at intermission. The Dutch got a Mauck layup to open the second half but Loras reeled off seven unanswered points and the verdict was not in doubt after that as the Duhawks were eight-of-eight from 3-point range after the break.
           
"We gave up so many easy layups in the first half but when we took that away, they started hitting 3-pointers in the second half," Douma said.
           
Loras (20-5 overall, 12-4 conference) shot a torrid 59.4 percent from the floor overall, including 42.9 percent (12-28) on 3-pointers. Central hit 46.9 percent, including 50 percent (13-26) from 3-point range. The Dutch were outrebounded 30-28.
           
The most glaring difference was turnovers as Central committed 24 to seven for Loras.     The Duhawks' 111 points were the most Central has allowed since Nov. 15, 2014, when the Dutch outscored Nebraska Wesleyan, 132-118.
           
It was the last game in a Dutch uniform for Jones, McKnight and forward Mason Walter (Urbandale).
           
"I'm really proud of all three of them," Douma said. "They all had really interesting routes to get to this point but they all persisted and stayed with the process. They influenced the team and impacted the program in a positive way.
           
"Jamel and Shimar have worked hard in the classroom and so has Mason, and Mason has done mission trips to Africa. These players are what you want at Central College."
           
Moody finished as the team's leading scorer with 17.9 points a game while Wood was the top rebounder with 7.0. McKnight was the assists leader with 5.3.
           
While it's the lowest season win total for the Dutch since 2004-05, that's partly due to a hyper-aggressive non-conference schedule as well as some costly injuries and a young roster.
           
"We had some things go against us," Douma said. "You don't want to make excuses but the injuries hurt us. Before Christmas, we were a pretty good team. We played Wis.-Platteville tough, we beat Wis.-La Crosse, we beat Coe on the road. But we had to start over after Christmas and when you have to recalibrate in the middle of the season, that's not good.
           
"But some other kids got valuable experience and we've got a lot to look forward to. These guys want to be good."
           
It will be a far more experienced squad next year and the Dutch aren't waiting to launch an intense off-season.
           
"Our lifting starts Monday," Douma said. "Our guys have bought into that. And we need everybody in the gym, not just three or four guys."
           
He likes what he's seeing from his squad as thoughts turn to next year.
           
"Our culture off the floor is great right now," Douma said. "There's a culture of toughness."
           
Douma also cited the impact of assistant coaches Obinna Agomo and Kent Henderson.
           
​​​​​​​"I appreciate all the work they do and all that they put into the program," he said.