Preview: Briar Cliff Chargers at Dordt Defenders

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (Interstat) — Two men’s NAIA basketball teams seeking momentum in a tightly packed conference race will meet Wednesday when the Briar Cliff Chargers visit the Dordt Defenders.

Both teams enter the contest with identical 12-12 overall records. The matchup at Dordt’s De Witt Gymnasium offers a chance for either squad to climb back to .500 and gain traction heading into the final stretch of the season.

The visiting Chargers are led by standout freshman Blake Sindelar, who is coming off a historic triple-double performance. In Briar Cliff’s 79-75 loss at Midland last Saturday, Sindelar played all 40 minutes, scoring 26 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Over his last seven games, he is averaging 25.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per contest, often logging heavy minutes.

Briar Cliff has lost two straight, including a 98-90 home loss to Northwestern (Iowa) on Feb. 4, despite 35 points from Sindelar. The Chargers’ last win was a 92-75 victory at Dakota Wesleyan on Jan. 28.

Dordt looks to snap a two-game skid of its own, most recently an 103-88 road loss at Morningside on Feb. 4. In that game, Judson Henkel led the Defenders with 21 points and eight rebounds. Henkel has been a consistent contributor, averaging 14.6 points and 7.0 rebounds over his last six outings.

The Defenders won the season’s first meeting decisively, defeating Briar Cliff 90-61 in Sioux City on Dec. 3, 2025.

For Briar Cliff, supporting Sindelar will be key. Colby Collison (18 points) and Jaxson Wingert (14 points) were productive in the loss to Midland. Dordt will counter with a balanced attack that includes Connor Millikan, who scored 21 points against Morningside, and freshman Ty Van Essen, who added 13 points and six assists.

Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. Wednesday. Briar Cliff hosts Concordia (Neb.) on Saturday, while Dordt prepares to host Midland the same day.