Central 61
Sweet Home 50
Central turned an early lead against the Husky boys basketball team into a 61-50 win Friday night in Sweet Home.
“They came out with playoff intensity and we didn’t,” Coach Mark Risen said. “I thought we had some moments when we played hard. We didn’t answer the intensity until the second quarter.”
Central built an 18-point lead in the first half, but the Huskies were able to cut that to nine by halftime, trailing 26-17.
Husky momentum carried into the third quarter when the Huskies scratched out a two-point lead. Down to about the last two minutes, Central was just a possession or two ahead.
“They got a couple of cheap hoops against our pressure,” Coach Risen said. The Huskies didn’t execute offensively, and Central sealed its win.
Kevin Furry, leading scoring with 20 points, played exceptionally, Coach Risen said. Furry’s not a true point guard, and Central took advantage of that, pressing him, denying the wings and pressuring him all night.
“Tim Matuszak, being a true point guard, really took that pressure off,” Coach Risen said. Matuszak contributed some good minutes to the game and got the Huskies into their offense as well as making some great plays himself.
Andrew Stockner and Jordan Pratt scored a combined 45 points for Central. Brazil added nine.
The Huskies knew Stockner was explosive and that Pratt would score 20. They knew they would need to hold Stockner to 10 or less and Brazil to less than five.
“Central was extremely well prepared,” with nine days to get ready for the Huskies, Coach Risen said. “And they executed their game keys. It was the same old same old. Whoever imposes their will on the game will be successful.”
The loss changes the face of the league a little. Cascade picked up a loss last week, and Stayton’s game against Sisters was postponed.
“I think it definitely puts pressure on a variety of people,” Coach Risen said. Stayton is 5-1, leading the league. The Huskies are 5-2 followed by Central, 4-3.
“We just need to take care of us and things will take care of themselves,” Coach Risen said.
Against Central, Furry led with 20 points. Aaron Hegge scored seven; Sam Posthuma, six; Anthony Mink, six; Matuszak, six; Ricky Howe, three; and Tyler Emmert, two.
Howe fouled out.
Coach Risen received a technical, his first after 11 years, after disputing a foul called against Matuszak.
“When one of our kids’ health is put in jeopardy, I’m going to be adamant about their protection,” Coach Risen said. The referee made a mistake, and Coach Risen recognizes that mistakes happen, but the bottom line is Matuszak’s season was put in jeopardy by the kind of screen that was set in that instant. The player that set the screen against had also intimidated other players in the game, using his size as a tool.
Coach Risen said his whole outburst was made first and foremost for the safety of his players.
Coach Risen intends to contest the call.
The Huskies defeated Sisters 58-49 on Tuesday last week.
“Sisters came to play,” Coach Risen said. “I’ve got to give credit to (Sisters Coach) Rand Runco.”
Sisters has had two wins this season, but they’re “playing like they’ve got a shot at playoffs,” Coach Risen said. Husky intensity was short in the first part of that game, and they were down by eight in the first half. They made a ran toward the end of the half and went ahead 29-28 on three free throws from Matuszak.
The third quarter, the Huskies built an 11-point lead, 44-33. Sisters battled back, but the Huskies ended with a nine point margin on free throws at the end of the game.
“Again, we’ve got to come out with a level of intensity that others can’t match with the focus on us,” Coach Risen said.
Hegge led the Huskies with 15 points. He fouled out and drew a technical during the game. Howe added 13 points. Mink scored nine; Furry, eight; Matuszak seven; Donny Cliver, four; and Posthuma, two. Mike Greene led Sisters with 10 points. Zack Sweener added eight.
Coach Risen said point guard Nik Walker will return to the lineup Friday night at Cascade. Walker had not been playing for more than a week. Friday night he sat for disciplinary reasons.
Standings
Stayton 5-1
Sweet Home 5-2
Central 4-3
Cascade 3-4
Molalla 3-4
North Marion 3-3
Sisters 0-6