Friday, December 14, 2018, Center Roughriders Gymnasium –
For the second time this season, the Center Roughriders varsity basketball team fell to the Nacogdoches Dragons. The ‘Riders fell to the Dragons by a 66-36 score a week ago at Central Height’s Tournament and again on Friday at home by a 72-33 score. Center now stands at 4-6 for the season and they are preparing for District 20 Class 4A competition which starts on January 11, 2019 when the Roughriders host Carthage High School.
Friday saw Center fall behind 9-0 before ‘Rider sophomore guard Jermaine Preston broke the scoring drought with a layup which got Center on the scoreboard. The Dragons went on another scoring run and led 20-4 with just two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Preston scored four more points late in the opening frame to help minimize the growing Nacogdoches lead but NHS still took a 24-8 lead into the second period of play.
Five combined three pointers by Dragon guards Damarco Dudley and Deonte Jackson helped Nacogdoches balloon their lead to 44-16 by the halftime intermission.
Center got seven points early in the third quarter from guards Zacc Smith and Jayden Hicks but Nacogdoches was led by 31 points at the end of the third stanza. NHS took a 56-25 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Dragons went on a 6-0 scoring run to begin the fourth quarter but senior ‘Riders guard Devon Robinson hit a bucket with six minutes remaining to cut the Dragon lead to 62-27. Hicks hit a bucket seconds later Nacogdoches ultimately outscored Center by a 16-8 margin in the final period to take the 72-33 win.
Senior Roughrider postman Chris Jackson led Center with 10 points. Jayden Hicks scored 8, Jermaine Preston and Devon Robinson each had six, and Zacc Smith scored 5 points.
Deonte Jackson led the Dragons with 16 points for the night.
Center will next face the Palestine Wildcats in a non-conference game at Center High School on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. Ninth grade and junior varsity games will begin at 4:30 p.m. with varsity to follow.
