Central makes another double-digit comeback to hold off Clayton Ridge

By Willis Patenaude | Times-Register

It was a thrilling conclusion to the regular season for the Central boys basketball team versus the Clayton Ridge Eagles, as the Warriors continued a flair for the dramatic with highlight performances and heroics down the stretch.

The Warriors also have a knack for slow starts, and were down early versus the Eagles, who won the jump ball and scored within 10 seconds. Mason Loan, who finished with 10 points, responded with a three, but midway through the quarter, Central trailed 8-5. Vaughn Zittergruen added the other two points on free throws, for some of his 10 points. 

Though Isaac Loan chipped in two of his 15 points a few minutes later, Clayton Ridge went on a 7-3 run in the final 75 seconds. The Warriors’ last score came with a minute left on a Griffen Hammersland three. Hammersland wen five for six from behind the arc that night and scored a game-high 20 points, but Central was down 17-12 after the first quarter.

“Early in the quarter I felt we were able to get the ball inside the paint with some nice passing, but were unable to convert several good opportunities close to the rim,” said coach Brady Stramer. 

The second quarter didn’t start any better, as the Warriors scored just two points in the first three minutes of the quarter, on free throws by Jake Hertrampf. Clayton Ridge extended the lead 24-14, but after trading turnovers, Zittergruen ignited the comeback on consecutive drives to the basket, one coming off a steal. Then it was I. Loan for two, G. Hammersland for three and Owen Hammersland for three more points. With under three minutes to go, the Warriors tied the game at 26. 

The teams exchanged the lead four more times before the half, but an I. Loan layup put the Warriors ahead 31-30. 

“To our guys’ credit, they started to push tempo a bit more, while converting some perimeter shots, which allowed us to score 17 points in the final five minutes of the half,” Stramer said. 

The Eagles quickly regained the lead after the break and out-scored Central 16-11 in the quarter, but the Warriors battled back to tie it up on multiple occasions. Zittergruen and I. Loan putting up five points early and a three-point play by M. Loan tied it at 41, but in the final two minutes, the Eagles pulled ahead 46-42. 

“Clayton Ridge did a good job of controlling the tempo and taking away our transition opportunities, and we also struggled to take care of the basketball, mainly due to lack of movement on the offensive end and ball handlers leaving their feet to make passes,” Stramer said. 

In the fourth quarter, it was the Warriors who scored quickly, with G. Hammersland hitting two free throws and I. Loan going for two, drawing even with the Eagles, 46-46. Clayton Ridge took back the lead shortly after, but it was short lived, as O. Hammersland, who finished with six points, hit a difficult two-point shot. M. Loan then drained two more of Central’s 17 free throws to give the Warriors a 50-49 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. 

G. Hammersland continued his offensive explosion, knocking down a trio of three-point shots in the quarter. The Warriors went eight for eight on free throws down the stretch, including Isaac and Mason Loan going a combined four for four. The Warriors defeated the Eagles 65-57.

“We were able to increase our defensive pressure by applying some double team traps on the ball, which helped us create some turnovers of our own. We also attacked the basket and got to the free throw line frequently down the stretch,” Stramer said. “While we didn’t play a great four quarters, we did enough in the first three to stay within reach, then to our guys’ credit, they played their best basketball in the final period when it mattered most.”

The Warriors’ victory was aided by winning the rebounding battle 46-42 over Clayton Ridge, including 17 versus six on offensive rebounds, giving them extra shots in a night when they were just 32 percent from the field. Zittergruen led the team with eight rebounds, followed by M. Loan, Hertrampf, I. Loan and G. Hammersland with six. 

The Warriors played Feb. 17 in the opening round of the Class 1A - Regional 3 playoffs against Wapsie Valley, losing 62-50. More info from this game will be in next week's edition.