MBB: Devils dampen Center playoff hopes, 60-30
ball to during recent season action. (Photo by Ray Jackson)
With every game that brings the end of the 2011-12 basketball regular season closer, each loss is magnified even larger than wins for the Center Roughriders. Battling to grab the third and final playoff spot Center finds itself 1.5 games behind third-place Hudson with four games left in the regular season after Tuesday night.
Center was open on Tuesday, but the Roughriders are coming off a disappointing 60-30 setback at second-place Huntington on Friday. Heading into action on Friday of this week, Jasper leads the District 18-3A race with an 8-1 record, with Huntington sitting at 7-1 and one-half game back. Hudson is in third with a 6-3 record, two games off Jasper's pace.
The Roughriders' loss leaves Center (9-18) at 4-4, with Central (4-5), Diboll (1-8) and Kirbyville (0-8) bringing up the last three spots.
In other District 18-3A results from Friday, Central popped Diboll, 71-46, and Jasper thumped Hudson, 64-43. On Tuesday night, Jasper rolled over Central, 59-51, Hudson knocked off Kirbyville, 56-38, and Huntington eased past Diboll, 55-45.
Center has four games remaining in the regular season, but three are on the road. The 'Riders travel to Diboll on Friday and then visit Jasper next Tuesday. CHS will trek to Kirbyville on Feb. 10 and close out the regular season at home on Feb. 14 against Hudson in what could be a winner-take-all game for a postseason bid.
In the setback to Huntington, the Red Devils took control early, taking a 16-3 lead at the end of the opening period and extending the advantage to 35-10 at the half. Huntington then coasted from there.
No Center players reached double-digit scoring as the 'Riders connected on only 22% (13-of-58) from the field and 3-of-13 (23%) from the charity stripe. CHS posted 19 turnovers in the game, while forcing 17 by Huntington.
Darrian Cloudy dropped in seven points for the Roughriders, hitting 3-of-9 from the field, while DeJalen Preston chipped in six and Jermarcuss Jones, Jamarcus Suell and Darron Bolton each scored four points. Tony McCollister and Myles Netherly scored two points each and Jakiel Johnson chipped in one point.
McCollister dished out 11 assists to lead Center, with Netherly, Johnson and Bolton adding four apiece. McCollister contributed four steals.
In other District 18-3A games on Friday, Jasper will be at Huntington and Central will host Kirbyville. Hudson has an open date.