“One-game season”: Eagles win round 2
Basketball fans were treated to an intense game between Centennial and Howard Lions last night in the Region 3A Semifinals.
In the opening quarter, the two teams battled for possession and often stopped each other’s momentum before a point could be scored. Howard broke through first and scored a three-pointer. But with consecutive scores from sophomore Josh Frazier, Centennial was up by 6 at the end of the first quarter and maintained it through the half.
Throughout the game, Centennial remained above Howard by a four-point minimum. But this didn’t come without its troubles. Sophomore Griffin Garner of Howard’s team showed beyond doubt that he was a key player for their offense, often being the one to bring his team within that four-point difference. However, with consistent defense by senior Ty Beck-Winter, spectacular offense by junior Adrien Nyom, and clutch free throws made by senior Tyler Longwell, Centennial maintained authority over the Lions.
After the game, junior Charlie Crabtree mentions how a little time off aided the team’s offensive approach last night: “We had a Bye-week. So we put in another play to use the full shot clock, to take our time and get a good basket.” With this addition, and Coach Slopek putting the fear of God into the players during timeouts, the Eagles earned their victory with a final score of 51-39.
Outside of the action, Centennial saw a huge turnout by both fanbases for last night’s event. The fans, in addition to their respective cheer teams, battled to be the loudest in the gym, with nonstop chants and incoherent ramblings to support their team and throw off the opposition. Senior Carmo Macedo enjoyed the fanfare, noting that “I feel like our fans are really invested in the game, and the cheerleaders ate.” The cheer-battle between the cheer teams proved to be a point of excitement and aided the student section in sustaining their energy for the rest of the game. Senior Scott Paterson agreed, explaining “I think everyone was just focused on [the event], putting all of our energy into supporting our team, supporting our friends.”
Congratulations to the Centennial Basketball team for their victory and providing fans with plenty of great memories. We wish them the best of luck in their next game tomorrow at 6:00PM against Manchester Valley.
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