Center Grove boys fall to Ben Davis

<p>As far as rugged, competitive Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference games go, this was exactly that for about a quarter.</p><p>After Center Grove made it a close game late in the third, visiting Ben Davis used its quickness to pull away for a 54-42 win.</p><p>Center Grove for one, was eager to forget its previous game, an 11-point loss to Greenwood Christian in the championship of the annual Johnson County tournament. Ditto Ben Davis, which was thumped in its preceding contest by Class 4A No. 1 Lawrence North.</p><p>So, someone needed to have a good memory Friday night.</p><p>It wasn’t Center Grove (5-6), which was hoping to avert its second straight 0-3 start in the MIC.</p><p>“I think we had 20 turnovers and I bet they had 10 offensive rebounds, so we didn’t do a great job on the glass,” said Center Grove coach Zach Hahn. “Then we didn’t secure the ball.</p><p>“I would venture to say that over half their points were on our turnovers, so we have to do a better job with ball security.”</p><p>Center Grove took what turned out to be its only lead of the game, 11-10, early in the second quarter. Ben Davis then went on a 15-4 run in the rest of the half to build up what seemed to be enough cushion to force the Trojans to play its type of quick-paced game.</p><p>But the Trojans made a remarkable comeback, playing a patient yet tough defense that forced the Giants into several turnovers and kept Ben Davis from delivering a knockout blow.</p><p>Center Grove took advantage and whittled the lead down to three late in the third thanks to five straight points by junior guard Landin Hacker.</p><p>The Trojans closed it further with a free throw and a basket by Austin Booker, but an 8-0 Giant run early in the fourth was a big enough punch to stun the Trojans.</p><p>Hacker was the only Trojan in double figures with 13 points. Robert Fry led the Giants (6-8) with 13 points, followed by Jaden Brown’s 12 and Jamari London’s 11.</p><p>Though it was another tough loss, Hahn did see some things from the Trojans he liked.</p><p>“I did like our togetherness and our fight,” he said. “We had our backs against the wall early down eight and 10 and we came back and took the lead once and got within three, and then (Ben Davis’) athleticism just kind of took over.</p><p>“They fought and played hard.”</p><p>Center Grove returns to action tonight at Roncalli.</p>