Waldorf Men's Basketball Fall Victim to Hot Shooting at Dordt

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa. Dordt (IA) used a decisive second-half surge and efficient perimeter shooting to defeat Waldorf 103-79 on Tuesday night at DeWitt Gymnasium in Sioux Center, Iowa. The Defenders turned a competitive first half into a runaway after the break, pulling away behind hot shooting from beyond the arc and a 41-30 edge on the glass.

Waldorf trailed just 47-41 at halftime after battling back from an early deficit. The Warriors leaned on perimeter shooting to stay within striking distance, with Conner Aldridge drilling a 3-pointer during a first-half run that cut the margin to 36-32. In the closing seconds of the half, Krys Watley knocked down two free throws to send Waldorf into the locker room within six, keeping the contest tightly contested through 20 minutes.

The game turned quickly after intermission. Dordt opened the second half with an extended run highlighted by a series of 3-pointers from Connor Millikan, who connected from deep at the 15:36 and 13:35 marks to help stretch the lead into double figures. As the hosts warmed up from the perimeter, the Warriors struggled to match the pace, and Dordt's advantage steadily grew behind a 56-point second half.

Despite the final margin, Waldorf continued to compete offensively. Aldridge led the Warriors with 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 5-for-7 from 3-point range, providing a consistent scoring presence on the perimeter. Watley added 18 points, four rebounds and three assists while going 5-for-6 at the free-throw line, attacking the paint and the foul line to keep pressure on the Dordt defense. Late in the contest, McNeal Thompson IV buried a 3-pointer in the final minute as Waldorf closed with a brief scoring flurry.

Team-wide, the Warriors shot a solid 46.9% from the field (30-for-64) and 37.9% from beyond the arc (11-for-29), showing balance between outside shooting and interior scoring. Waldorf also generated 13 steals and two blocks defensively, creating disruption on the perimeter. However, the Warriors' 21 turnovers proved costly, as Dordt converted extra possessions into points and finished with a 103-79 advantage.

Dordt's offensive efficiency ultimately separated the sides. The Defenders shot 54.4% from the floor (37-for-68) and 45.2% from 3-point range (14-for-31), with Millikan leading all scorers with 27 points on 11-for-15 shooting, including 5-for-9 from deep, along with seven rebounds and five assists. Ty Van Essen added 13 points and six rebounds, hitting a key 3-pointer with 5:42 remaining to push the lead to 88-60, and Jake Proctor chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and three steals. A late 3-pointer from Blake Hekman in the final minute capped Dordt's long second-half run and put the game out of reach.

Waldorf finished with 30 rebounds and 14 assists while matching Dordt nearly evenly at the free-throw line, going 8-for-11 (72.7%).