Center High School Gymnasium on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 –
The Center Roughrider’s Varsity Basketball Team needed a win to make the playoffs when they faced the visiting Huntington Red Devils. Each team came in to Tuesday’s game with an identical 2-5 District 20 4A win-loss record.
The Roughriders came out hot and they took a 10-0 lead early. Midway through the first quarter it looked as if the ‘Riders may run away with the game. They had a 12-3 lead but Huntington pulled to within 20-13 by the end of the period.
The second quarter saw Center get ahead by eleven points at 26-15. The last four minutes of the first half saw Huntington go on a 10-0 run of their own. Huntington pulled to within 2 points, at 29-27, at the halftime intermission.
Center was able to outscore Huntington 20-17 in the third period and they took a 49-44 lead into the final stanza.
The ‘Riders got help from senior guard Zacc Smith with 11 points during the fourth quarter. Center won 68-60. The Roughriders finished the season. With a 3-5 District 20 4A record they are the fourth-place representative of their conference. Center will next face the winner of District 19 in the UIL Playoffs which will begin February 24, 2020.
Leading the Roughriders scoring was Jumarcus McCollister with 17 points, Makel Johnson added 16, Jamarrion Evans 15, Zacc Smith 14 and Malik Patton chipped in six points for the ‘Riders.
Huntington was led by Ian Taylor who scored 13 points.
