One would expect more hospitable treatment from the home-court rims than Center Grove’s boys basketball team got on Friday night.
A frustratingly frigid shooting night that culminated in a fourth quarter without a made field goal doomed Center Grove to a 45-35 loss against Class 4A No. 2 Lawrence North on Friday night, snapping a six-game winning streak.
"It wouldn’t go in tonight for us, and I thought we had some great looks," Center Grove coach Zach Hahn said. "I thought we executed against their zone really well, but when the ball doesn’t go in and you’re playing a top-five team — your defense sometimes can get you some buckets, and I don’t think our defense really led to any easy buckets for us, which was probably the difference."
Though defense didn’t necessarily translate directly into easy offense for Center Grove, it did keep the game close throughout.
Both teams struggled to score early on during a first half that featured six lead changes; Lawrence North led 3-0 after four and a half minutes. But a Landin Hacker 3 with 1:40 left in the opening quarter, Center Grove’s first made field goal of the night, started a 7-0 spurt that put the Trojans in front, 11-8.
The two squads continued to trade punches all the way through to the intermission, with the Wildcats’ C.J. Gunn hitting a buzzer-beating 3 to answer a late putback by Shane Bennett and send the visitors into the locker room with a 24-21 edge.
Hahn lamented the many points that got away, especially during the first half.
"Obviously, their length and athleticism probably hurts you a little bit," he said, "but I know we missed four free throws in the first half and I know we missed probably six layups. I mean, layups. And they were slightly contested, but the ball just wouldn’t go in."
Lawrence North maintained a slim lead for most of the second half, with the lone blip coming when a corner 3 from Center Grove’s Tyler Cerny tied it at 28-28 with 1:55 on the clock. The Wildcats regained the upper hand by scoring the next four before a 3-pointer from Tayven Jackson put the Trojans back within a point at 32-31 going into the fourth.
Center Grove, though, did not make another shot from the floor, and baskets by Shamar Avance and Gunn to open the final period pushed the Lawrence North lead back up to five. The Trojans got back within three on two other occasions before they were eventually forced to start fouling, and the Wildcats stretched the margin late at the free throw line.
Hacker led Center Grove in defeat with 13 points, while Jackson finished with seven points and 10 rebounds. D.J. Hughes (14), Avance (13) and Gunn (11) all finished in double digits for the Wildcats, who won despite getting no points from their bench.
Despite the setback, the Trojans walk away from the defeat just as confident that they’re capable of beating any of the state’s best teams.
"We still know how good we are," senior Ethan Jones said. "We know what we can do this season. When you shoot that poorly and you still hold these guys — I mean, they’ve got some dudes down here. To hold them to (45), you know, you’ve just got to keep your head up."
Center Grove returns to action next Thursday at Warren Central.
