Basketball Recap: Central Triumphs

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Previous Games

01/16/26 - Away	60-59 W
12/09/25 - Home	54-82 L
02/07/25 - Home	48-52 L
01/22/25 - Home	86-69 W
01/10/25 - Away	83-93 L
+ 5 more games

Central took a 28-point defeat the last time they faced off against Centennial, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Cobras escaped with a win on Friday against the Eagles by the margin of a single free throw, 60-59. The win was all the more spectacular given the Cobras' disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 336th, while the Eagles are ranked 155th).

Central's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Kamai Purce led the charge by putting up 15 points. Those 15 points gave Purce a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Julius Walker, who posted 14 points.

Despite the loss, Centennial still got an impressive performance from Jayden Prosper, who shot 47% from the field on his way to 22 points in addition to eight assists and eight steals. The game was Prosper's third in a row with at least 19 points. Reggie Hayes was another key player, earning 11 points.

Central's victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 9-10. As for Centennial, they dropped their record down to 11-10 with the loss, which was their fourth straight at home.

Central didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 66-41 win against Somerset College Prep Academy on the 20th. As for Centennial, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next matchup, a 67-57 victory against Cooper City on the 19th.