One thing leads to another.
For Riley Gatton, a college basketball player from Montezuma, positive results at Des Moines Area Community College during her freshman season have led her to Central College.
Riley announced on social media recently her intention of pursuing academics and basketball this coming school year in Pella.
At Central, she’ll add her talents to an NCAA Division III program on the rise under fourth-year Coach Joe Steinkamp.
Steinkamp’s first two Central teams won seven games each. This year, the Dutch went 15-11, the most wins they’ve had since the 1997-98 season.
Central also earned its first berth in the conference tourney since 2004-’05.
Gatton, an all-stater at Montezuma, led DMACC in scoring this past season, averaging 11.6 points over 30 games.
She earned all-region first team honors for DMACC.
Riley was a .393 field goal shooter, including .316 from behind the three-point arc. She shot 62 percent from the free throw line.
A 5-8 wing player, Riley averaged 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. She had 36 steals on the season, and blocked 13 shots for a DMACC team that posted a 10-20 record.
Gatton has indicated she believes she can help to make things happen for the Dutch, where the roster includes several other players who are former South Iowa Cedar League performers.
