Central rallies to defeat Brainerd, 64-61

Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 1/15/16. Brainerd's Jessie Walker (32) and Central's Jamichael Poole (2) battle for possession of the ball during their matchup at at the Chattanooga State Community College Gymnasium on Friday, January 15, 2016.
Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 1/15/16. Brainerd's Jessie Walker (32) and Central's Jamichael Poole (2) battle for possession of the ball during their matchup at at the Chattanooga State Community College Gymnasium on Friday, January 15, 2016.
photo Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 1/15/16. Brainerd's Jessie Walker (32) shoots as Central's Ryan Montgomery (3) and McClendon Curtis (32) attempt to defend during their matchup at at the Chattanooga State Community College Gymnasium on Friday, January 15, 2016.

Central had the lead a lot less than Brainerd did Friday in their District 6-AA boys' high school basketball game at Chattanooga State. But the Purple Pounders found themselves owning the lead when it counted most.

Terron Hayes' free throw with 1:42 to play gave Central its first lead since the first three minutes of the game. It came in the middle of a run of 11 consecutive points that lifted the Pounders past the Panthers 64-61.

Central (12-1, 7-0) also won when the teams played at Brainerd earlier in the season. Tyner also looms in the district race but has yet to play the Pounders or Brainerd (15-4, 4-2).

"This one was huge for us because our goal at the beginning of the year, although not many teams have done it, is to go undefeated in district play," Central coach Rick Rogers said. "The big one was the win we got at Brainerd that set the stage. That's the toughest one to get."

Historically for the Pounders, yes, but the Panthers controlled much of Friday's game, starting with an 18-7 run to close the first quarter.

"They were so much quicker to the ball than we were," Rogers said. "Every rebound went their way on the offensive end. The ball just wasn't going our way.

"At the end of the first quarter they were up 25-15 and I was really, really worried. That's the best I've seen them play, that particular team."

Brainerd twice again led by 10. The last was after Kentrell Evans drove from the left wing for a layup for the first points of the fourth quarter.

Central rallied to within 52-50 before the Panthers answered with back-to-back baskets. Then came the 11-0 run that flipped a six-point deficit into a 61-56 lead with less than 40 seconds to play.

"There at the end of the game I thought if we could stay within six we could try something to create a couple of turnovers, and we did," Rogers said. "We got a little lucky, too. That's part of it."

Brainerd coach Lavar Brown said he learned from the first time the teams played that his team's pressure defense was effective and this time the Panthers were in it from the beginning. But that meant making shots would be crucial.

Then down the stretch, one not happening led to the other not happening.

"The ball didn't go in," Brown said. "That's just the way it was. They did a good job of contesting shots probably the last two or three minutes of the ballgame. And we had about 10 or 12 wide-open shots that just didn't go. We also missed some clutch free throws. We can't set our pressure if we don't score."

Hayes led Central with 19 points, followed by Ryan Montgomery with 18. Emmanuel Lane scored his 11 in the second half.

McClendon Curtis had 13 rebounds and three blocks to go with his eight points. Jamichael Poole, who was called for four fouls in the first half, also totaled eight points.

Dajuonta Ross topped the Panthers with 18 points. Evans added 14. Jessie Walker had eight of his 12 in the first quarter, and Vesta Melvin Jr. scored his eight after halftime.

Contact Kelley Smiddie at sports@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/KelleySmiddie.

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