The Dordt Defender men's basketball team secured its first GPAC Post-Season Tournament Championship since 2013 with an 86-81 win on the road over the Jamestown Jimmies Tuesday night, February 28.
The Jimmies grabbed the biggest lead of the first ten minutes at the 11:12 mark with a Reid Gastner three-point shot. Jacob Vis (6'7''-F) had an answer immediately with a three-point shot of his own but Jamestown re-established a five-point lead with 8:55 left at 24-19. The Jimmies built on the lead and were up 29-22 when Dordt responded. Bryce Coppock (5'11''-PG) scored his only field goal of the first half to cut the lead to 29-24 and Camden Bialas (6'9''-C/F) had a putback.
Luke Rankin (5'10''-PG) followed with a basket and the teams traded baskets with Bialas getting bucket on a putback with 3:56 left in the half for a 31-30 deficit. Bialas converted a free throw for the three-point play and Dordt eventually took the lead 34-33 when Rankin hit a three-point basket with 3:25 left in the period.
Dordt never trailed again with the Jimmies tying the game at 42-42 right before the half ended. Jacob Vis and Cade Bleeker (6'5''-F) each scored baskets to extend the lead to 46-42 to start the second half. The Defenders maintained the lead and built on it to a 62-55 advantage after a Jacob Vis pair of free throws. Dordt's first double-digit lead came at 67-57 and Trey Hinote (5'11''-PG)'s basket with 9:40 left in the game made it 71-59.
Jamestown proceeded to go on a 10-0 run over the next 2:37 but Jacob Vis's basket at the 6:50 mark extended the lead to 73-69. Baskets by Lucas Lorenzen (6'4''-F) and Camden Bialas re-established a 77-69 Dordt lead and the teams went scoreless over the next two minutes before Jamestown's Gastner converted another three-point shot. A basket in the paint by Jamestown brought the difference down to 82-79 with :32 left and two free throws by Marc Kjos (5'10''-PG) for the hosts with :09 left made it 82-81. Bryce Coppock got the inbounds pass and was promptly fouled and he made both free throws. Jamestown's Mason Walters (6'9''-F) was fouled on the ensuing play but missed the front end of a one and one with less than five seconds left and Coppock made both free throws to seal the victory.

THE NUMBERS
Dordt was 34-60 from the field and 5-14 from the three-point line for 57 and 36 percent respectively.
Jamestown was 32-74 from the field and 11-31 from the arc.
Jamestown had a 37-33 rebounding advantage and both teams had six turnovers.
Jacob Vis had 21 points and eight rebounds.
Luke Rankin scored 16 with nine rebounds and five assists.
Cade Bleeker scored 14 with three rebounds and Bryce Coppock scored 13.
Lucas Lorenzen added 10 points and five rebounds and Camden Bialas came off the bench to score nine with three rebounds on 4-4 shooting.

Courtesy of gpacsports.com

Player of the Year: Mason Walters (6'9''-F) of Jamestown
Defensive Player of the Year: Trey Powers (6'5''-PF) of Morningside
Freshman of the Year: Reggie Thomas (6'1''-G) of Hastings
Coach of the Year: Trent Miller of Morningside

All-GPAC First Team 2023

Carlson

Coppock

Doble

Oppold

Schutte

Skoff

First Team
Dillon Carlson (6'2''-G) of Northwestern, IA
Bryce Coppock (5'11''-PG) of Dordt
Ely Doble (6'6''-C) of Morningside
Koln Oppold (6'4''-F-1999) of DWU
Noah Schutte (6'4''-F) of CUNE
Joey Skoff (6'3''-G) of Morningside
Craig Sterk (6'7''-F) of Northwestern, IA
Brady Timm (5'10''-PG) of Doane
Jacob Vis (6'7''-F) of Dordt
Mason Walters (6'9''-F) of Jamestown

All-GPAC Second Team 2023

Cordes

Kleinhesselink

Lunday

Oberhauser

Orr

Rankin

Second Team
Will Cordes (5'11''-PG) of Jamestown
Jaden Kleinhesselink (6'2''-G) of Briar Cliff
Tash Lunday (6'6''-G/F) of MMU
Alec Oberhauser (6'8''-F) of Doane
Jake Orr (6'2''-G) of Midland
Luke Rankin (5'10''-PG) of Dordt
Gage Smith (6'6''-F) of CUNE
Reggie Thomas (6'1''-G) of Hastings
Aidan Vanderloo (6'1''-G) of Morningside
Cole Woodford (6'1''-G) of Jamestown

All-GPAC Honorable Mention 2023

Stilwill

Vesey

Smith

Bennett

Herman

Dobney

Honorable Mention
Matthew Stilwill (6'2''-G) of Briar Cliff
Quinn Vesey (6'1''-G) of Briar Cliff
Tristan Smith (6'5''-F) of CUNE
Bradley Bennett (6'6''-G) of CUNE
Kallan Herman (6'2''-G) of DWU
Jakob Dobney (6'0''-PG) of DWU
Lucas Lorenzen (6'4''-F) of Dordt
Cade Bleeker (6'5''-F) of Dordt
Emanuel Bryson (5'9''-PG) of Midland
Emanuel Bryson (5'9''-PG) of Midland
Jack Dotzler (5'10''-PG) of Morningside
Trey Powers (6'5''-PF) of Morningside
Cole Bowen (6'4''-G) of MMU
Matt Onken (6'5''-F) of Northwestern, IA
Marc Kjos (5'10''-PG) of Jamestown