Rick Rogers didn't get his team's best performance, but the Central boys' basketball coach got what he wanted.
The Purple Pounders advanced to the Region 3-AA semifinals and will play this afternoon against Red Bank in Loudon.
"My whole plan tonight was to win the game and save our legs," Rogers said following Central's 70-58 victory over visiting Loudon.
The 20-4 Pounders' second-half lead swelled to 24 points and Rogers pulled the starters with 3:22 left in the third quarter. He put them back in with 5:12 to go in the fourth, and the Redskins began chipping away.
"When we sat the starters for about six minutes, they lost their mo-jo. And when you lose your mo-jo and the other team has its rhythm going, it flips the coin," Rogers said.
Central High School's Ryan Montgomery (11) dunks the ball over Loudon defenders during the Region 3-AA tournament at the Purple Pounders home court Friday, Feb. 27, 2015.
Loudon chipped away, paring a 24-point deficit to start the quarter to a six-point gap with around three minutes to play. At one point, the Redskins (12-15) scored four against the Pounders reserves and added six for a 10-point spurt.
"I told the guys before the game we were going to get Loudon's best punch, and Loudon played with a lot of heart," Rogers said. "We played a little sloppy and we are a little out of shape from where we usually are."
Friday's game was Central's first in eight days, and there had been only one other opportunity to get on the floor between the two.
"The game for us was fun in spurts, but it wasn't like the game we'll play tomorrow. They'll play 32 minutes instead of 16," Rogers said. "Tomorrow is the game of the year for us. We know Red Bank is a very capable team."
Ryan Montgomery scored 19 points and Tre Tiller and JaMichael Poole added 11 and 10 for the Pounders. Tyler Ferguson and Jacob Arden scored 15 apiece for Loudon.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.