Basketball Recap: Jordan Crowder Leads a Balanced Attack to Beat Ballantyne Ridge

You can't lose the game if you win every quarter, and that was precisely Central's strategy against Ballantyne Ridge on Monday. The Central Eagles blew past the Ballantyne Ridge Wolves 72-46. Given the Eagles' advantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 157th in South Carolina, while the Wolves are ranked 550th in North Carolina), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Central got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Jordan Crowder out in front who dropped a double-double on 26 points and 14 boards. Those 26 points gave Crowder a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Tazhir Webber, who posted 16 points.

Central smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive boards in 13 consecutive matches.

Central's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-8. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 70.7 points per game. As for Ballantyne Ridge, they are on a 15-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 2-17.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Central will welcome Chesterfield at 7:45 p.m. on Friday. As for Ballantyne Ridge, they won't have much time to rest: their next contest is against Ardrey Kell at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Ardrey Kell will roll in looking for their fourth straight victory, something Ballantyne Ridge surely won't give up without a fight.