Central Crush NSA, 109-79
In a dominant D1M performance at Central, Central dismantled NSA 109-79 on Thursday, January 29. Anyeuri Castillo led the charge for Central with a game-high 27 points and 9 rebounds. Central built a commanding lead of up to 33 points and never looked back.
Central took a 59-38 lead into halftime. The first quarter was the decisive stretch, with Central outscoring their opponents 33-15 to swing the momentum in their favor.
The game featured several highlight plays. K. Wooten (Central) threw down a powerful dunk in the second quarter. R. Maykey (NSA) connected from beyond the arc in the third quarter. S. Jankovic was a force on the defensive end with 5 blocks.
Anyeuri Castillo was the undeniable star of the game, finishing with 27 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists in 30 minutes of action. He shot 10-of-11 (91%) from the field, 4-of-5 (80%) from three-point range. The team was a remarkable +34 with him on the floor. Lucas Saleh provided valuable support with 19 points, 10 rebounds, including 4 three-pointers. Donte Mcgill also chipped in with 11 points off the starting lineup.
Central's bench was a major factor, contributing 28 points off the pine. Mathieu Khoury was the standout reserve, providing 11 points in a spark-plug role. Central also generated 26 fast-break points, capitalizing on every opportunity.
Central held a significant edge in field goal shooting at 66% compared to NSA's 34%. From beyond the arc, Central connected on 18-of-30 (60%) while NSA managed just 10-of-43 (23%).
Central dominated the boards 49-30. Central's ball movement was superior with 28 assists to NSA's 12. Central was in control for much of the game, building a lead of up to 33 points and putting together a 15-0 scoring run.
The biggest momentum shift came when Central put together a 15-0 run in the first quarter, leaving their opponents scrambling to respond. Central answered with a 13-0 run of their own, keeping the contest competitive.
In a losing effort, Petar Rakicevic fought hard for NSA, finishing with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals. However, the team struggled to find consistent scoring beyond their top options.