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‘We played really connected’: Red-hot Winkel, Centennial boys crush Johnston

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Ankeny Centennial’s Luke Winkel celebrates after making a 3-point goal during Tuesday’s game at Johnston. The Jaguars connected on 13 treys en route to a 76-49 victory. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

There was no letdown for Luke Winkel and the Ankeny Centennial boys’ basketball team.

Coming off a win Friday against defending Class 4A state champion Valley, the Jaguars got a career-high 32 points from Winkel and rolled to a 76-49 victory at Johnston on Tuesday.

“We definitely couldn’t get too comfortable because Johnston’s a really good team, and we have Waukee next,” said Winkel, who also dished out five assists. “I think they’re ranked No. 1 now. Every night in the CIML is a battle–you can’t take nights off and overlook anyone.”

Ankeny Centennial’s Luke Winkel drives past Johnston defender Jalen Richardson during Tuesday’s game. Winkel scored a career-high 32 points in the Jaguars’ win. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

Winkel made four 3-point goals and his teammates combined for nine more as Centennial improved to 3-1 in the CIML Conference and 4-1 overall. The Dragons’ records dropped to 2-3 and 3-3.

“You hope after you have a big win like we did Friday that there’s no letdown mentally, physically or emotionally,” said Centennial coach Bob Fontana, whose team shot 58.3 percent from the field (28-of-48), including 13-of-25 from behind the arc. “We talked about it to our kids. We said, ‘Hey, that was good for Friday. But that’s not going to win this game.’ I thought we had two good, efficient workouts coming into this game.

“Our kids were really connected on both ends of the floor. Obviously, we got off to a great start. I liked our defense–it sparked our offense. We had good ball movement, and we shot it well from distance,” he added.

Winkel had 15 points in the first quarter alone as the Jaguars jumped out to a 29-13 lead. Connor Welsch matched Winkel with a pair of treys in the opening period.

“We played really connected in the first half,” Winkel said. “A lot of people touched the ball, and a lot of people shot the ball well. It helps also when we get stops, and that adds up over the span of the game like it did tonight.”

Nick Vaske scored a basket at the buzzer to give Centennial a 39-22 advantage at halftime. He finished with eight points.

Ankeny Centennial’s Nick Vaske scores around Johnston defender Tino Daye in the final seconds of the first half during Tuesday’s game. Vaske finished with eight points. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

Welsch matched his career-high with 13. Chase Schutty added 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for another double-double while also contributing two steals and two blocks.

“The defense has to respect everything,” Winkel said. “You don’t know where it’s going to come from because anyone can score at any given time when we’re going like that.”

Trovary Cavil led Johnston with 11 points, but he went just 3-of-13 from the field. Overall, the Dragons shot 40.9 percent (18-of-44).

Ankeny Centennial’s Connor Welsch shoots a 3-pointer during Tuesday’s game. He had three treys and matched his career-high with 13 points. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

“Welsch is doing a great job on both ends, and Vaske is always taking the toughest defensive assignment,” Fontana said. “We started him out on (Jalen) Richardson, and then we put him on Cavil. It’s nice to have that versatility.”

The Jaguars will host Waukee on Friday with a chance to move closer to first place in the conference. The Warriors are 5-0 in the league and 5-1 overall after outlasting Urbandale, 64-58, in overtime on Tuesday.