After suffering through a four-game losing streak, the Ankeny Centennial boys’ basketball team is now riding a three-game winning streak.
But the latest win on Friday against visiting Mason City didn’t come easily.
The Jaguars finally prevailed, 89-82, in double overtime, overcoming a 38-point performance by Mason City’s Cory Miner.
“Mason City played very well, especially Miner,” said Centennial coach Bob Fontana, whose team held a 14-point lead on three different occasions. “Our guys were met with a lot of adversity, and we responded. We took care of late-game situations numerous times.”
Centennial held a 39-32 lead at halftime and still held a 53-46 advantage after three quarters. But Mason City, which had lost to the Jaguars by 42 points on Dec. 16, forged a 66-66 tie at the end of regulation.
The Jaguars finally took control behind a monster game from senior guard Caden Kelling, who poured in a career-high 29 points. He also had seven rebounds, seven assists and a school-record eight steals.
“We had great senior leadership from Caden, and I was proud of how our juniors and sophomores took steps forward during adverse situations,” Fontana said.
Sophomore guard Luke Winkel also had a great game, scoring a career-high 22 points. He added five rebounds and five assists.
Easton Pratt had 10 points for the Jaguars, while fellow junior Evan Bryan grabbed six boards.
“We played most of the second half and overtimes with only one senior on the floor,” Fontana said. “I was proud of how our guys answered everything that came at them. We were very resilient.”
Centennial improved to 4-4 in the CIML Iowa Conference and 6-6 overall. Mason City’s records dropped to 2-6 and 3-11.
The Jaguars will play a non-conference game at Des Moines East on Tuesday.
