Unexpected season comes to an end

Unexpected+season+comes+to+an+end

by Aaron Sewell

The momentum following the Storm’s win against Buena Vista was not enough to carry the men’s basketball team as they lost to Luther 78-68.

The men’s basketball team had momentum heading into Thursday’s match-up against Luther, however, it wasn’t enough to carry the team to victory as they fell 78-68 to the Norse.

The loss marked the end of the Storm’s most successful season in four years.

Senior J.J. Vanderheiden recorded 17 points in his last game in a Simpson uniform while junior Cornelius Mosby contributed with 16 and grabbed nine rebounds.

In the three games leading up to the IIAC Tournament show down against the Norse, junior Zack Barragan had tallied a total of 53 points. Last Thursday the Norse held Barragan to two.

“Luther was a very good team and they punish you for your mistakes,” said Charles Zanders, head men’s basketball coach. “We made a lot of mistakes and they took advantage of them.”

The season-ending loss was hard to take, but members of the men’s basketball team said they were happy to even make it to the tournament. The experience, according to Vanderheiden, made him “proud.”

“Making the tournament was amazing in its own right just for the fact that we made it there on a last second shot,” Vanderheiden said. “Being the first time us seniors have made the tournament was a very proud moment for us and winning (on our) home court made it that much sweeter.”

The IIAC Tournament appearance was the first for the graduating group of seniors, and that success is something junior Stefon Brown is happy the seniors have.

“I’m glad we could make it in the tournament past the first round for the seniors on the team,” Brown said. “I know it meant a lot to them.”

Zanders and the players agree that this season was the first step into having another strong showing next year.

“It was a great year,” Zanders said. “We have accomplished things we haven’t done in a long time. To know we went 8-8 in conference, and finished fourth after being picked to finish last is a good feeling.”

Mosby had something to add to that.

“We plan on doing big things here at Simpson College,” Mosby said.

Sports Editor Gabe Gilson contributed to this article.