Central won its North Central Conference boys basketball opener with a 65-58 victory against Huntington North Friday in the Muncie Fieldhouse. The Bearcats used a balanced scoring attack, with three players scoring in double-figures.
Phillip Corthen led the way with 14 points and Marcus Dukes followed with 12. Trenton Hatfield scored 11 points while also grabbing a team-high six rebounds.
The Bearcats built an eight-point halftime lead then held on in the second half. Central coach Jeff Holloway said his team pushed the lead to approximately 14 points in the third quarter.
But he said the Vikings never let the Bearcats build an insurmountable lead. They seemed to be able to follow a Central miss with a Huntington North made basket to tighten the margin again.
The Central victory evens the Bearcats’ overall record to 2-2. They will be put to the test on Saturday, when Central hosts Class 3A No. 1 Guerin Catholic at 7:30 p.m. in the Muncie Fieldhouse.