News Release

MANKATO, Minn. — It didn’t take long for newcomers to make an impact on the Central College men’s basketball team.

Making his first career start, center Clint Driftmier missed just one shot from the field in notching a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Dutch opened with a 90-84 victory at Bethany Lutheran Friday.

Meanwhile, rookie small forward Simeon Lang came off the bench to drill eight of 11 shots, including four 3-pointers, for 21 points while his Jefferson-Scranton High School teammate, freshman forward Keith Pederson knocked down seven of eight shots for 15 points.

And freshman guard John Carlson had 19 points in his collegiate debut. He was also the game’s the top rebounder with 12.

Coach Mike Boschee entered his second Central season by starting three freshmen and the results were both encouraging and infuriating. His young club shot a steamy 60.8 percent from the floor but was guilty of 30 turnovers in the helter-skelter contest. Bethany Lutheran forced 17 steals and made only 16 turnovers, but shot just 34.5 percent on its home floor. The Vikings held the rebounding edge, 46-38.

Driftmier, a 6-foot-10 post, was 10-of-11 from the floor and also had two assists for the Dutch.
Central held a 41-38 edge at halftime and led by as many as eight in the second half. Bethany Lutheran is making the transition from a two-year to four-year program, and is coming off a national junior college tournament appearance. The Vikings cut the margin to 81-77 with just 1:25 left, but Carlson sank eight of 10 free throws in the final minute.

Central, just 6-20 a year ago, will get a quick measure of its improvement Tuesday in the home season opener as highly regarded Bethel College (Minn.) visits for an 8 p.m. game at P.H. Kuyper Gym. Bethel is expected to contend for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.