MEDIAPOLIS — Different game, same kind of second half, same result.
Central Lee’s 54-48 boys basketball loss to Mediapolis on Tuesday night had almost the same story line as the last time these two teams played, and it was something Central Lee coach Jonny Swanson thought about after the game.
“We really, again, were in the driver’s seat most of the game,” Swanson said. “We just ran out of gas (in the second half) and they caught momentum. And they hit a couple of big shots.”
Central Lee was in control of the January 2 matchup before Mediapolis scored 27 fourth-quarter points to take a 59-54 win.
This time, the Hawks (11-5 overall, 8-4 SEISC South Division) led the Bulldogs (10-5, 9-3) 26-16 at halftime, then surrendered 38 second-half points.
“Credit to those guys,” Swanson said of Mediapolis. “They play so, so darn hard, and they play really good defense. They're well coached. So they kind of took us out of some things, and they made us a little bit uncomfortable.”
Central Lee controlled the first half, holding the Bulldogs without a field goal over the final 3 ½ minutes. Twice the Hawks would lead by 11 points early in the third quarter before Mediapolis rallied.
The Bulldogs closed the third quarter with an 11-3 run and then, trailing 40-35 with 6:50 left in the game, scored nine consecutive points to take a lead they wouldn’t give up.
“They hit a couple of big shots, and they had a couple of offensive rebounds and putbacks that really hurt us,” Swanson said.
All of Central Lee’s nine third-quarter points came from Carson Morrison, who led the Hawks with 16 for the game.
“He had a really good game,” Swanson said. “He really kept us in it, especially there in that third quarter when he hit a couple big threes that gave us some momentum
“We don’t have that one dominant guy — we’ve got a lot of guys who can have big games for us. But if we could have had a couple of more guys hit a couple of shots, and help us build or keep that lead, it’s a different game.”
The Hawks are in the middle of a five-games-in-six-days stretch. They lost at West Hancock 48-43 on Monday night, losing to one of the top small-school teams in Illinois while facing Cooper Knowles, who is one of the top senior players in Illinois. Knowles had 20 and Hunter Froman had 16, but Swanson said he thought that game might have had a little bit of an effect on his team for this game.
“They’re 16, 17-year-old kids, they have a lot of energy,” he said. “Maybe tonight has a little bit to do with last night, but I really don't think that much. They bounce back pretty quick, but it is tough, when you play games and go down the wire with really good teams night in and night out, it can take a toll.”
Owen Swan added 11 points for Central Lee.
Max Griffin led Mediapolis with 16 points. Will Luttenegger had 12.
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