WAVERLY, Iowa – The Wartburg men's basketball team (4-1 overall) lost its first game of the season as it fell 94-85 to Dordt Saturday evening.
The Knights fell victim to a quick 8-0 run by Dordt to start the game before head coach Dick Peth called a 30-second timeout at the 18:44 minute mark to slow the up-tempo Defenders offense. The Orange and Black would continue to trail throughout the first half until sophomore guard
Max Smith Drahos (Cedar Rapids) connected on a jumper off a pass from senior center
Josh Gehling (Dyersville) to put the Knights up 18-17 with 10:44 left to play. Both teams would go on to score 26 points apiece throughout the rest of the half, putting the Knights ahead 44-43 heading into the break.
Wartburg and Dordt would trade baskets throughout the second half before Dordt began to pull away with 3:38 left to play. The Defenders would go on to lead by as much as nine before closing out the game 94-85.
Senior guard
Jaran Sabus (Urbandale) led the Knights in scoring with 19 on six of 13 shooting (46.2%) from the field, including going a perfect five of five (100%) from the free throw line. Sabus' performance moves him to 1,027 career points, placing him at 25
th all-time in program history.
Smith Drahos scored 16 on six of 11 shooting (54.5%), coming within two shy of his career high. Gehling added in 14 points on seven of 11 shooting (63.6%), in addition to hauling in five rebounds. Junior center
Ryan Stulken (Walford) scored 10 and pulled in a team-high seven rebounds.
Dordt led the Knights in all statistical shooting categories, rebounds (42-38), assists (23-17), steals (8-7) and blocks (3-1). While both teams were near mirror images in points scored in the paint (16-14), points off turnovers (6-6) and second chance points (4-4), the Defenders' bench out-performed the Knights as they outscored Wartburg's 17-6.
The Knights will return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 28 and will get their first taste of American Rivers Conference play when they welcome Simpson (4-1). Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
