The boys basketball team would clinch the Suburban South conference title with a a victory at University City. The University City Lions got out to a quick start with nine straight points scored against the Colts.
“We just weren’t ready to play. It seemed like we thought they were just going to come out and let us win instead of going out and winning it [the game] ourselves,” junior Kyle Disch said.
University City continued to build a lead hitting a buzzer-beater at the half to go up 32-19. After the half, Central made it a seven point game before University City went on a twelve point run to go up by nineteen. The Lions were able to maintain a seventeen point lead of 50-33 going into the 4th quarter.
“U-City was crashing the boards harder than us and they were making difficult shots which allowed them to build a large lead,” Disch said.
To open the 4th quarter Central went on an eight point run cutting the lead to single digits and forcing University City to take a timeout.
“During the huddle, Kirby continued to motivate us and tell us to keep chipping away at the lead,” junior Connor Kraus said. “He [coach Kirby] knew they would let us back into the game”.
Central kept the lead under double digits and University City senior Rashod Richards committed a foul sending junior Nathan Biggs to the free throw line. Throughout the night, Biggs made 12-14 free throws helping him lead the team with 24 points. Richards then was given a technical for arguing with the official and Biggs cut the lead to four.
“Nathan had a couple of big plays that just seemed to get us going,” Disch said, “Chek and Nathan led us back offensively just high screening and rolling. Defensively we collectively worked hard together to get back into the game.”
With less than three minutes left, the Colts twice cut the lead to three points and had a possibility to tie the game.
“We got within a couple possessions and we felt like we could win,” Kraus said, “We had a what the heck attitude and played like we had nothing to lose.”
With ten seconds left Biggs stepped to the free throw line again making both free throws and cutting the lead to 2. The Colts fouled on the inbound pass and University City senior Montreal Andrews made two free throws to lead 73-69. The Colts loss the close game at University City by a score of 73-69.
