The Hope College men's basketball team was in a giving mood before Christmas.
The nationally ranked Flying Dutchmen recorded season-highs in assists and points en route to a 98-83 win against Grace Bible on Tuesday in the Russ DeVette/Holland Sentinel Classic.
The 27 assists were in the second-most in Greg Mitchell's tenure as head coach. Hope recorded 29 in a 121-73 win against Pittsburgh-Greensburg last season.
Hope, ranked fourth in the latest D3Hoops.com poll, improved to 8-1 overall by posting the top record at the DeVette/Sentinel Classic at 2-0.
Senior guard Ben Gardner of Carmel, Indiana (Carmel HS) led the Flying Dutchmen with 16 points. He became the 37th Hope player to reach 1,000 career points during the game. He has 1,003 points after 91 games.
Gardner matched his season-high with six assists.
The Flying Dutchmen put five players in double figures, including senior forward and Classic MVP Sam Otto of Wheaton, Illinois (Wheaton North HS). Otto chipped in 15 points.
Junior guard Chad Carlson of Rockford, Michigan (Rockford HS) and junior forward Harrison Blackledge of Canton, Ohio (Hoover HS) added 14 points apiece off the bench.
Sophomore guard Dante Hawkins of Holland, Michigan (Holland HS) finished with 10 points and a career-high seven assists.
Hawkins and Gardner joined Otto on the all-tournament team.
Hope won the DeVette Classic for the 19th time and the Sentinel Tournament for the 10th time.
The Flying Dutchmen extended their win streak to a season-high five games.
Hope returns to action on Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 29-30 at the RDV Sportsplex Classic in Orlando, Florida.
