Jake Bargen looks for an open teammate against Elmwood-Murdock Feb. 25.
Joel Bargen of Centennial controls the ball before passing to teammate Wyatt Ehlers in the district final against Elmwood-Murdock Feb. 25.
The Centennial boys' basketball team celebrates its district championship Feb. 25. The win means the Broncos will play in the state tournament starting Thursday, March 7.
The Centennial boys' basketball team won the District C2-5 championship Feb. 25. Team members are, from left: (front row) Max Scholl, Michael Nisly, Gavin Dutton-Mofford, Ian Schlueter, Cooper Gierhan, Jack Hirschfeld, Wyatt Ehlers and Haden Richters; and (back row) Levi Scholl, Coaches Cam Scholl and Stan Erks, Will Saunders, Caleb Horne, Michael Fowler, Andrew Wellman, Joel Bargen, Nate Hanneman, Jake Bargen adn Coaches Josh Warren and Craig Barjenbruch.
Despite a less-than-its-best performance, the Centennial boys’ basketball team beat Elmwood-Murdock 52-48 Feb. 25 in the District C2-5 final.
“We made two or three more plays than they did,” Coach Cam Scholl said. “We were able to gut one out.”
The Knights held a one-point lead after the first quarter, but the Broncos entered halftime with a 25-21 lead.
Scholl said Centennial wasn’t very crisp in its execution and did more standing around and settling for shots than he wanted to see.
“We have to use that to get better,” he said.
Jack Hirschfeld paced the offense with 24 points. Jake Bargen scored 11 off the bench.
“He takes big shots for a freshman,” Scholl said. “He has no fear.”
Senior Wyatt Ehlers had a good all-around game, the coach said. Ehlers finished with five points, eight rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot.
“He did a good job on all the little things,” Scholl said.
The Broncos reached the district final by winning their subdistrict games. CHS beat Nebraska Christian 69-41 Feb. 19 and Shelby-Rising City 66-46 Feb. 21.
Scholl said Nebraska Christian came out shooting better than it had when the teams met earlier in the season.
“After the first quarter, they came back to earth,” he said.
The Broncos got going in the second and third quarters, improving their intensity and sense of urgency, he said.
Hirschfeld scored 28, and Cooper Gierhan added 11, with Bargen scoring 10.
The Broncos played better against SRC, Scholl said. The Huskies have two guards who shoot well, but the CHS defense did a good job defending them, he said.
Gierhan led the team with 24 points, and Hirschfeld scored 20. Scholl said Bargen gave the team a good lift off the bench.
The Broncos (23-2) drew the No. 4 seed in the Class C2 state tournament and will play Wakefield (20-3) Thursday, March 7, at 8:45 p.m. at Lincoln Northeast.
