Basketball Recap: Central's Luck Takes a Turn for the Worse on Thursday

It was a good run, but Central unfortunately witnessed the end of their 11-game winning streak on Thursday. The match between them and the Northwestern Bulls didn't end well, with the Central Rockets falling 73-57. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Rockets of the 66-63 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in January of 2024.

Central's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Keri Foster, who went 6 of 14 en route to 15 points in addition to five assists and three steals. Foster's evening made it nine games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Marlon Gaitan, who shot 4-for-7 from deep and almost dropped a double-double on 14 points and nine rebounds.

Northwestern got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Calvin Russell Jr. out in front who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 14 boards. Russell Jr. is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last six games he's played. Jamiro Smith was another key player, going 5 for 11 on his way to 12 points and five rebounds.

Central's loss ended an eight-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 12-3. As for Northwestern, the win (which was their fifth in a row) raised their record to 15-3.

Central and Northwestern should be looking forward to their upcoming games as both have a sizable advantage in the MaxPreps Florida Rankings. Central (ranked 33rd) will meet Everglades (ranked 192nd) at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Central will be looking to keep their eight-game home win streak alive. Similarly, Northwestern will square off against Archbishop McCarthy at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday up 152 places (21 vs. 173).