Center Grove boys pull away for road win

<p>INDIANAPOLIS</p><p>Center Grove’s boys basketball team controlled three quarters of Friday night’s Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference game at North Central, and it was more than enough to ease to a 53-34 victory over their MIC rival.</p><p>The Trojans (15-7 overall, 2-5 MIC) outscored the Panthers (5-15, 0-7) 49-18 in the first, third and fourth quarters, which easily offset North Central’s 16-4 second-quarter advantage. Center Grove held the Panthers to 7 of 40 field-goal shooting (17.5 percent) in the first, third and fourth quarters, and the Trojans shot 18 of 40 overall (45 percent).</p><p>Trayce Jackson-Davis and Spencer Piercefield handled most of the scoring for the Trojans, combining for 32 of the team’s 53 points. Jackson-Davis finished with 18 points, including 12 in the second half, along with six rebounds, five blocked shots and three assists, all of which led to 3-pointers.</p><p>Piercefield was the recipient of two of those assists. He hit three 3-pointers en route to 14 points, and also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.</p><p>Center Grove bolted to a 17-4 first-quarter lead, but North Central’s 16-4 second-quarter edge trimmed the Trojans’ lead to 21-20 at halftime. Center Grove went scoreless for the first 6:33 of the second quarter until a Piercefield layup ended the drought.</p><p>The Trojans regained control in the third quarter, however, outscoring the Panthers 21-10 in the period. A 9-0 run midway through the period extended Center Grove’s lead to 34-23 with 3:31 left in the quarter.</p><p>Jackson-Davis did most of his scoring damage during this quarter. He scored nine of his 18 points in the period.</p><p>Justin DeGraaf added six points and Ben Greller contributed five for the Trojans, who have now won three of their last four games.</p><p>Overall, Center Grove held North Central to 25 percent field-goal shooting (13 of 52). They also outrebounded the Panthers 31-27, and North Central shot just 5 of 23 from 3-point range (21.7 percent). The Trojans hit 5 of 11 from 3-point range (45.5 percent).</p><p>Freshman guard Leland Walker led the Panthers with 13 points. No other North Central player scored more than six.</p><p>Center Grove returns to action Tuesday at Brownsburg.</p>