Caleb Pollema—Staff Writer

The Dordt men’s basketball team had their season cut short on Saturday afternoon in a 76-89 defeat to the Jamestown Jimmies in Jamestown, North Dakota.

The first half was back and forth until the Jimmies closed out the half on a 10-3 run to give Jamestown the 40-33 advantage going into the break.

The Defenders could never close the gap in the second half of play and would trail for the rest of the game in the 13-point defeat.

Garrett Franken led the Defenders with 26 points. He went 11 for 13 from the field and was 3 for 3 from behind the three-point arc.

Dordt’s lone senior, Alec Henrickson, ended his career as a Defender with 10 points on the evening.

With the loss, the Defenders missed an opportunity for NAIA National Tournament berth. The tournament will take place in Sioux Falls beginning on March 6th.

The Defenders finished their season with a 19-13 record and a 10-9 record in conference play.

Despite the loss, the Defenders fought hard to close the season with a win in the first round of the GPAC tournament against Briar Cliff in Sioux City on Tuesday.

That win would come in the final seconds as sophomore guard Jesse Jansma would hit a pair of free throws to give the Defenders the lead for good.

“In those situations, I try not to think about why I need to make them,” Jansma said. “Every pair of free throws are equally as important, so I try to focus on the hoop, my form, and my release.”

With the loss of only one senior and a lot of young talent, the Defenders are excited for next season and all that it will bring.

“I think the thing I am looking forward to most about this offseason is the fact that we are returning almost everyone and that we keep all the great relationships that we have built,” Jansma said.

The Defenders will begin their offseason training after spring break.