Simpson’s men’s basketball team struggled to slow down Central’s three-point shooting, falling 100-79 in their A-R-C opener Tuesday night, Nov. 26 at home.
Despite strong performances from several players, including seventeen points from Cam Henderson, the Storm couldn’t overcome a barrage of sixteen three-pointers from the Dutch.
The game got off to a tough start for Simpson, who found themselves trailing 16-2 just five minutes into the first half. Central’s size and shooting seemed to rattle the Storm, who couldn’t find their rhythm in the opening stages. The Dutch, led by their 6’10” center Joshua Van Gorp, dictated much of the game’s tempo.
“We came out slow,” Simpson’s Caden Rehmeier, who contributed fifteen points, said. “That’s something we definitely need to work on. Even though we had some guys in different starting spots, we can’t dig ourselves a hole that early. It makes it harder to close the gap later in the game.”
Despite the early deficit, the Storm fought back, cutting the lead to just seven points near the end of the first half. A 3-pointer from Bo Huston with five minutes remaining kept the game within reach, but Central’s three-point shooting continued to prove effective. The Dutch carried a 43-33 lead into the half, aided by a solid shooting performance from beyond the arc.
In the second half, the Storm showed signs of life, cutting the lead to as few as five points on two separate occasions. Matt Schubert and Henderson both contributed key baskets to help trim the deficit. However, Central’s relentless shooting from deep kept the Storm at bay. Despite Simpson’s best efforts, Central finished with sixteen three-pointers, including ten in the second half, securing the victory.
“It’s a hard game to prep for, especially with their 6 ’10 ” guy,” Rehmeier said. “Our game plan was to not let him beat us and to try to limit open looks to their shooters. If we knew they were going to shoot the ball that well, we definitely would have changed things up.”
The loss, though disappointing, showed promise for Simpson’s future growth. Four players — Henderson (17 points), Rehmeier (15 points), Levi Gurwell (14 points), and Matt Schubert (14 points) all contributed fourteen or more points, highlighting the team’s depth despite the final score.
“We’ve got to be ready from the tipoff,” Rehmeier said. “This game taught us a lot, especially about staying sharp early and not allowing teams to get on big runs. We’ve got to stay focused on that.”
Simpson’s young roster is still finding its footing, but the team is focused on learning and growing as the season progresses.
“We are an insanely young team,” Rehmeier said. “This year is all about growth and experience. The games in the conference are much tougher than what the younger guys have been used to, so we need to learn how to compete and win in these kinds of games.”
The Storm will look to bounce back on Wednesday, Dec. 4th, as they travel to Coe College for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.