After a 85-64 win over Oxon Hill on Jan. 26, Central High School Coach Lawrence Pugh said they were just focusing on the next game, which was against Woodlawn at the Basketball Academy. He believed it would help prepare his team for the playoffs if they get past the first round and play a Baltimore school.
Central answered in the right manner Saturday night at Morgan State when the team beat Woodlawn, 70-64 to go 2-0 at the 21st annual Basketball Academy.
Central started off strong, ending the first quarter with a 27-14 lead. Deonte Cooke, who transferred back to Central after attending Bladensburg High School, was the catalyst for the Falcons as he registered 14 points and knocked down four three-pointers. He has played a significant role alongside talents like Tim Jones, Trent Dixon and Javani Brown.
Christion Wright kept Woodlawn in the game with a couple of tough jumpers and drives to the rim.
Just before the half, Reshaud Garrison had hit a huge three pointer that shifted the momentum in Woodlawn’s favor.
Woodlawn’s Javani Brown took three dribbles and launched a three-pointer at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 37-24. Cooke registered 17 points in the half.
Dixon, who didn’t make a single three-point field goal in the first half, came out of the half, hitting his first three and gave the Falcons a huge boost.
With Woodlawn trailing 49-39, Mark Brinkley, and Garrison was not letting their team go away without a fight. They kept making plays in transition to get Woodlawn back in the game.
Cooke kept up his hot shooting performance as he nailed a three to stop the Warriors run. Brinkley drove to the basket for and-one to cut Central’s lead down to 49-46 with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.
Halfway through the 4th quarter, Central led 54-51. It was Juwan Lane, who threw the first punch for the Warriors at the start of the fourth quarter with a pull up jumper.
Brown was another guy who had a big second half with two back to back and-one’s to give Central a 64-60 lead.
Brown drove to the basket for a layup, but was called for a charge and fouled out of the game. Brown finished with 10 points.
Jones made four free throws to seal the victory for Central. Jones was named the Scholar Athlete of the Game with 18 points. Dixon was Central’s third leading scorer with 13 points.
Cooke tallied 26 points and was his team’s MVP, while Garrison received the same honor for the Warriors.
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