HOWARD — Centerburg had to come from behind to earn a rugged 47-43 Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference win over East Knox on Friday night at the Dog Pound.
The Bulldogs opened as much as a 22-13 advantage in the first half, and enjoyed a 25-19 margin at halftime. But the Trojans fought back.
“We had a couple of eight- or nine-point leads, and we were not able to extend it out,” East Knox coach Ryan Powell said. “They were able to stay in the game and our confidence had struggled a little bit in close games.”
Centerburg guard Bennett Hill netted a key 3-pointer with six minutes left in the game to draw his team close. The Trojans knotted the score at 42 before Isaiah Sule hit a trey with 11 ticks on the clock to give Centerburg a 45-43 lead.
That was the dagger.
“We like to make it ugly and grind it out,” Centerburg coach John Marhefka said. “They stuck to their game plan and we did as well.”
Even though his team entered Friday night’s tilt with an 8-5 overall record and 6-1 in conference play, against East Knox 3-12, 2-6 record, Marhefka was not surprised at the Bulldogs’ tenacity.
“Coach Powell does a good job and those boys were competing,” Marhefka said. “They have some talent.”
Marhefka said he thought his team might have let down a bit.
”We went into a lull and the other team gains momentum,” he said. “There’s an average of five momentum swings I believe in a game, there could be more there could be less, but you have to control the majority.”
Centerburg’s Jack Lawrence led all scorers with 16 points, followed by Hill with 12.
East Knox was led in scoring by Hayden Merritt and Landon Dawson each scoring 11 points.
Centerburg is back in action Tuesday at home against Loudonville.
East Knox will welcome Cardington Lincoln to the Dog Pound the same night.
