Basketball Game Preview: Central Lancers vs. Imhotep Charter Panthers

The Central Lancers will head out to challenge the Imhotep Charter Panthers at 3:15 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Having struggled with three losses in a row, Central turned things around against Parkway Northwest on Tuesday. They walked away with a 59-46 victory over the Hoyas.

Yamir Knight-Parker

Steals

02/04/25 vs Parkway Northwest	2
01/28/25 vs John Bartram	2
01/23/25 vs George Washington	2

Central can attribute much of their success to Yamir Knight-Parker, who shot 4-for-7 from long range and dropped a double-double on 20 points and ten rebounds, and Christopher Brown, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and 11 boards. Knight-Parker is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Aaron Pogarsky, who posted nine points.

Central smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 4.7 offensive rebounds per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 matchups they've averaged 10.2.

Meanwhile, Imhotep Charter came tearing into Saturday's game with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 19 points) and they left with even more momentum. They really took it to the Burrs for the full four quarters, racking up a 72-36 win. The Panthers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 13 contests by 21 points or more this season.

Imhotep Charter pushed their record up to 17-5 with the victory, which was their 19th straight at home dating back to last season. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 30.6 points. As for Central, their record now sits at 5-14.

Central took a serious blow against Imhotep Charter when the teams last played back in February of 2023, falling 74-32. Can Central avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.