Center Roughriders Gymnasium on Friday, January 31, 2025 –
The Center Lady Roughriders varsity basketball team fell to the visiting Lady Eagles from Rusk High School by a 56-53 score on Friday. The loss is the sixth District 17 4A loss in a row. All of this streak’s games have been very competitive meetings with the game being decided by less than 3 points late in the contest. Center now stands at 8-19 this season and at 1-8 in the conference. Rusk is at 12-19, 3-6.
Scoring started slow and CHS led 4-2 midway through the first period. They only trailed Rusk 10-9 at the conclusion of the first quarter. Halfway through the second stanza RHS led 22-15 and at halftime Rusk led 33-25. Eight points early in the third period by senior Edneeuna Barnes helped get CHS back in the game and Center cut Rusk’s lead to 39-35. By the end of the third frame the Lady “Riders had cut the Lady Eagles lead to 43-41.
The fourth quarter saw a very close game and Center led by two points at 49-47 at the mid-point of the final period. With a single minute remaining Rusk tied the game at 53-53. They were then able to score the last three points of the contest during the final seconds to earn the 56-53 win.
Sophomore Journee Smith led the Lady Roughriders with 18 points and senior Edneeuna Barnes scored 15. Rusk was led by senior Nyliah Tumblin with 16 points.
Center will travel to Palestine on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 for their final District 17 4A game which will tip off around 6:15 p.m. at Wildcats Gymnasium. Palestine is 13-18, 6-3 in District 17 and they fell at Bullard last Friday by a 38-45 score.