The Champaign Central Maroons's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Wednesday after their sixth straight loss. They took a hard 57-39 fall against Salem.
When it comes to explaining why Champaign Central lost, one person who can't be blamed is Axel Baldwin. Despite the final result, he scored 18 points along with three steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Baldwin has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Chris Bush, who scored eight points along with two blocks.
Salem was led to victory by Gavin Zimmermann and Connor Tennyson. Zimmermann scored 18 points, while Tennyson scored 15 points along with seven rebounds. Noah Nix was another key contributor, scoring four points along with eight rebounds.
Champaign Central has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost nine of their last 11 matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-12 record this season. As for Salem, their win bumped their record up to 8-13.
Champaign Central will face off against Effingham at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Effingham has now lost 16 straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since November 30. As for Salem, they will square off against Centralia at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Centralia presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Salem in Illinois (Centralia is ranked 20th, while Salem is ranked 285th).
