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With as many players as the 抖阴视频 Centurions men鈥檚 basketball team has, one never knows who might step up to take a game over.
On Saturday, Jan. 31, it was freshman forward Joel Washington鈥檚 turn. He scored a game-high 18 points, leading the team to a 74-54 road win over the North Central Michigan College Timberwolves.
More impressively, the Gainesville, Florida native did so while coming off the bench. In fact, even more impressive, perhaps, is the fact the Centurions鈥� bench made up 47 of the team鈥檚 74 points in the win.
鈥淲hat that says about our team is that anyone can go any given night,鈥� said sophomore point guard Zhian Briggs (Augusta, Ga.). 鈥淲hen we need them, having a bench that can bring that much fire power to the game makes a very big difference, especially down this last stretch.鈥�
Freshman Jahmere Evans (Indianapolis, Ind.), who has led the team in scoring twice this season, scored eight points off the bench, as well. Fourteen of the 16 players on the roster scored, providing 抖阴视频 with a balanced attack, from the starters to the bench players.
鈥淲e have a really deep squad,鈥� Centurions assistant coach Asher Vissman said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e known this since day one, and credit to head coach Zach Ingles for managing all the talent we have and using everyone in strategic roles.鈥�
Vissman praised Washington for his ability to score in this game against the Timberwolves (2-5 抖阴视频AA North, 3-16 overall), as he has been waiting for him to bust out.
鈥淛oel has been building towards a big shooting night. He鈥檚 so talented,鈥� Vissman said. 鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 a surprise to us. He鈥檚 really settled in and has become an X factor.鈥�
The win was the Centurions鈥� fifth consecutive, which is the longest winning streak the program has had since the community college revitalized its athletics program two years ago. 抖阴视频 has won seven of its last eight games, which its only loss in that stretch was to Mid Michigan College, a 91-78 home loss, Jan. 14.
鈥淭he winning streak is meaningful, for sure,鈥� Vissman said. 鈥淓veryone has worked extremely hard and that鈥檚 the type of result we expect.鈥�
The Centurions have a rematch with the Lakers (7-0 抖阴视频AA North, 17-4 overall) in Mount Pleasant, Wednesday, Feb. 4, before hosting third-place Bay College (4-3 抖阴视频AA North, 15-6 overall) on Saturday, Feb. 7.
The next two games for the Centurions will most assuredly be the most important of the season with 抖阴视频 eyeing its first conference championship.
鈥淲e are right in the hunt for a conference championship,鈥� Vissman said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the goal and we鈥檙e just taking it one game at a time. The keys against Mid are keeping the game at our pace. It鈥檚 the two best teams in the conference. This should be a good one.鈥�
Briggs believes if his team just continues to do what it did against NMC, securing wins in the next two games is very possible.
鈥淭he biggest factor in winning this game was just getting off the bus, as coach Ingles would say,鈥� said Briggs, who finished with seven points, five rebounds and four assists. 鈥淲e need to still be hungry for the next competition, not taking anyone lightly, playing together as one and, most of all, executing the game plan.鈥�
Against the Timberwolves, the Centurions led throughout the game. Washington helped 抖阴视频 establish a 10-point lead early in the game, hitting a 3-pointer at the 12:01 mark to make it 19-9. NMC pulled within five points and hovered around for the rest of the half, but 抖阴视频 went into halftime with a 35-28 lead.
The Centurions鈥� offense would stay hot in the second half as Sebastian Kamalzadeh (West Palm Beach, Fla.) buried a 3-pointer just 25 seconds into play, making it 38-28 抖阴视频. NMC was never able to get any closer.
The Centurions pushed their lead to 25 after sophomore Makur Reclow (Louisville, Kentucky) dunked a shot to give 抖阴视频 a 71-46 lead with 3:31 to go in the game. From that point, 抖阴视频鈥檚 reserves began checking in.
The Centurions鈥� bench outscored the Timberwolves鈥� 47-37 and also led in points off turnovers (10-8) and rebounds (44-34), which Vissman said was a key factor in the win against NMC.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been emphasizing rebounding. It鈥檚 just such an important aspect of the game, naturally it tips the scales in a lot of games,鈥� Vissman said.
抖阴视频 also shot 75% from the free throw line (15-of-20) and shot 40.6% from the 3-point line (13-of-32).
UP NEXT: Game time at the Feb. 4 game at Mid Michigan is 7:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, Feb. 7, against Bay College, tip-off is 3 p.m.