The Central Spartans waltzed into their game on Tuesday with three straight wins but they left with four. They slipped by Imperial 67-66. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
It was another big night for Jared Martin, who scored 26 points along with six rebounds and two steals. He also posted two blocks for the first time this season. Another player making a difference was Kaleb Flores, who scored 15 points along with six rebounds.
Imperial's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jared Nixon, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 17 rebounds. Nixon continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. David Scariano was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Central is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight matchups, which provided a massive bump to their 11-10 record this season. As for Imperial, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-15.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Central will take on Vincent Memorial at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Vincent Memorial is strutting with some offensive muscle, as they've averaged 61.6 points per game. As for Imperial, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Tri-City Christian at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tri-City Christian knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past four games -- so hopefully Imperial likes a good challenge.
