The Natchitoches Central Chiefs entered their tilt with the Captain Shreve Gators with five consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with six. Natchitoches Central sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 54-51 win over Captain Shreve on Friday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win Natchitoches Central has posted against Captain Shreve since March 5, 2021.
When it comes to explaining why Captain Shreve lost, one person who can't be blamed is Jyrin Sowell. Despite the final result, he scored 20 points along with five rebounds and five steals. JD McDonald was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with four steals.
Natchitoches Central pushed their record up to 20-3 with that victory, which was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 70.5 points per game. As for Captain Shreve, their defeat ended a ten-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 20-4.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Natchitoches Central will play host again and welcome Haughton, where tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Haughton has now lost seven straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 29. As for Captain Shreve, they will look to defend their home court on Tuesday against Airline at 7:30 p.m. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Louisiana (Airline is ranked 70th, while Captain Shreve is ranked 57th).
