Basketball Recap: Center Place's Win on Friday Extends Winning Streak to Five

While Center Place didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-10), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. Everything went their way against Bethel Academy on Friday as the Center Place Golden Eagles made off with a 40-19 win. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory the Golden Eagles have posted since November 21, 2023.

Center Place's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Isabelle Howen led the charge by putting up seven points and 16 rebounds. Howen is on a roll when it comes to boards, as she's now pulled down eight or more in the last 13 games she's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Rylie Kroesen, who posted 11 points and six steals.

Several Bethel Academy players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Kayla Touokong, who put up six points in addition to seven rebounds and seven blocks. The team also got some help courtesy of Liberty Atkins, who had seven points.

The win (which was Center Place's fifth in a row) raised their record to 5-1. As for Bethel Academy, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 1-2.

Center Place wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next game, a 48-42 victory against Overland Christian on the 9th. As for Bethel Academy, they will have a little extra prep time after the defeat as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Clinton Christian Academy at 5:30 p.m. on January 6, 2025.