Basketball Game Preview: Centaurus Warriors vs. Highlands Ranch Falcons

After both having extra time off, the Centaurus Warriors and the Highlands Ranch Falcons will shake off the cobwebs and square off against one another at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.

While Centaurus didn't have the best season last year (they finished 6-17), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They enjoyed a cozy 55-36 win over Steamboat Springs last Friday. The Warriors pushed the score to 46-24 by the end of the third, a deficit the Sailors cut but never quite recovered from.

Nick Jones had a dynamite game for Centaurus, going 7 for 10 on his way to 16 points in addition to five boards and four blocks. The team also got some help courtesy of Sam Esposito, who posted 13 points along with five boards and three steals.

Meanwhile, Highlands Ranch's and Lakewood's game two weeks ago was close at halftime, but Highlands Ranch turned on the heat in the second half with 37 points. Highlands Ranch blew past Lakewood 64-44. The Falcons have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three matchups by 20 points or more this season.

Highlands Ranch's win came from a few key players Centaurus will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was George West III, who went 8 of 15 on his way to 18 points and five steals. He is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last four games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Zach Benner, who had nine points and three steals.

The victory made it two in a row for Centaurus and bumps their season record up to 5-2. As for Highlands Ranch, they have been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests, which provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season.

Keep an eye on the arc in Friday's game: Centaurus has been dynamite from deep this season, having made 41.2% of their three-pointers per game. It's a different story for Highlands Ranch, though, as they've only made 25.7% of their three-pointers this season. Given Centaurus' sizable advantage in that area, Highlands Ranch will need to find a way to close that gap. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.