It took awhile, but the Ankeny Centennial boys’ basketball team finally earned its first CIML Conference victory.
The Jaguars made some big plays down the stretch and posted a 52-49 win at Southeast Polk on Friday. Both squads are now 1-13 in the league and will meet again in the regular-season finale on Feb. 20 at Centennial.
“It felt really good, especially going on the road against a team that has been playing pretty well lately,” said Centennial coach Bob Fontana, whose squad is now 4-13 overall. “You know what they did against Ankeny, and they were ahead of Waukee at the half and tied with them in the fourth and lost a close game. So it was a good road win for us.”
The Rams (5-13) got off to a fast start before Centennial rallied.
“They hit three 3-pointers in their first five or six possessions and I was like, ‘Oh no, this is going to be like the Ankeny game,'” Fontana said.
Centennial used a 20-point second quarter to battle back for a 31-26 lead at halftime. Southeast Polk regained a 41-40 advantage after three quarters before the Jaguars took control in the final period.
“We got a big lift off the bench from Devin Vessely, a senior who has been doing some real good things in practice and in some JV games,” Fontana said of Vessely, who scored nine points on a trio of 3-pointers. “He got an opportunity Friday and did a nice job for us.”
Sean Tunks led Centennial with 18 points and five rebounds. He has averaged nearly 18 points over the last six games.
“Sean sprained his ankle before the season, and our trainer said it was one of the worst ones he had ever seen,” Fontana said. “He wasn’t 100 percent until early January. He’s done a nice job for us on the defensive end, too.”
Cabryn Klingner had 12 points and seven rebounds in the win.
Rex Smith led Southeast Polk with 16 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Emmanuel Tete added 12 points.
The Jaguars will host a conference game against No. 8 Waukee on Tuesday. The Warriors are 11-3 in the league and 13-5 overall.
Centennial lost the first meeting at Waukee, 62-41, on Jan. 31.
