INDIANAPOLIS
Center Grove’s boys basketball team controlled three quarters of Friday night’s Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference game at North Central, and it was more than enough to ease to a 53-34 victory over their MIC rival.
The Trojans (15-7 overall, 2-5 MIC) outscored the Panthers (5-15, 0-7) 49-18 in the first, third and fourth quarters, which easily offset North Central’s 16-4 second-quarter advantage. Center Grove held the Panthers to 7 of 40 field-goal shooting (17.5 percent) in the first, third and fourth quarters, and the Trojans shot 18 of 40 overall (45 percent).
Trayce Jackson-Davis and Spencer Piercefield handled most of the scoring for the Trojans, combining for 32 of the team’s 53 points. Jackson-Davis finished with 18 points, including 12 in the second half, along with six rebounds, five blocked shots and three assists, all of which led to 3-pointers.
Piercefield was the recipient of two of those assists. He hit three 3-pointers en route to 14 points, and also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
Center Grove bolted to a 17-4 first-quarter lead, but North Central’s 16-4 second-quarter edge trimmed the Trojans’ lead to 21-20 at halftime. Center Grove went scoreless for the first 6:33 of the second quarter until a Piercefield layup ended the drought.
The Trojans regained control in the third quarter, however, outscoring the Panthers 21-10 in the period. A 9-0 run midway through the period extended Center Grove’s lead to 34-23 with 3:31 left in the quarter.
Jackson-Davis did most of his scoring damage during this quarter. He scored nine of his 18 points in the period.
Justin DeGraaf added six points and Ben Greller contributed five for the Trojans, who have now won three of their last four games.
Overall, Center Grove held North Central to 25 percent field-goal shooting (13 of 52). They also outrebounded the Panthers 31-27, and North Central shot just 5 of 23 from 3-point range (21.7 percent). The Trojans hit 5 of 11 from 3-point range (45.5 percent).
Freshman guard Leland Walker led the Panthers with 13 points. No other North Central player scored more than six.
Center Grove returns to action Tuesday at Brownsburg.
