Centralia had a chance for victory at the end of Monday’s game but couldn’t stop Ryan Hall. 

The Panthers lost 58-57 to Bowling Green (9-2) after Hall sank a shot before falling down to hand Centralia its second straight loss on a bucket in the final seconds. Hall finished with 36 points, four 3-pointers and four steals while Anthony Ford led Centralia (5-6) with 16 points, 11 rebounds and four steals. 

Head coach Brandon Crites said Bowling Green and Moberly, who defeated Centralia three days prior 52-49 on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, are impressive teams with a combined record 16-5. During this season, and especially during this six-game homestand, Crites said the Panthers have usually had a chance to win. 

Centralia vs Bowling Green Photo Gallery

“Right down the stretch, our defense had a chance to win it for us, and that kid made a tough shot,” Crites said. “That’s the way it goes sometimes, but I was proud of the effort. Even more so than the Moberly game, I thought they really were connected today and had great energy and enthusiasm.”

Ethan Ross finished with 14 points for Centralia, Luke Waltemate had seven points and Clayton Moore added six points. Brendan Scherder finished with 13 points and five steals for Bowling Green.

Hall proved to be a tough player to stop and was on Centralia’s radar before the game, according to Crites. While Hall proved to be an effective shooter, he hurt Centralia more when driving to the rim, including on the game-winning shot. 

That play was a response to Cal Romine’s drive to the rim that he banked in to put Centralia ahead. The senior made a play at a crucial time not long after his fellow senior Ford picked up a timely steal. 

“Ford made a winning play right there,” Crites said. “Unfortunately, they hit that shot. We had the opportunity to go the length of the floor in six seconds. They sent three to the ball and made it really hard for Oliver (Bohlmeyer) to even see what he had.”

That immediate response from Bowling Green is what happened throughout the night. Centralia hit a 3-pointer and then the Bobcats did the same. The Panthers picked up a steal, and Bowling Green took the ball right back. 

Crites said Centralia needs to have more “sureness” with the basketball, meaning his team has to take care of the ball. Turning the ball over immediately the defense forces one is proof the Panthers are trying to push the ball to Crites’ liking, he said, but a little more patience will be required in the future.

“Before we push the ball in transition, we need to let the smoke clear — check our awareness and check around us before we start going,” Crites said. “That will be a big thing for us.”

Crites said every game has been close for Centralia this season. Six have resulted in losses, including two in a row in heartbreaking fashion, but Centralia has shown it can come out on top in those games.

At the start of this homestand, the Panthers beat Chillicothe 54-47 in overtime in what was their third straight victory at the time. Crites said having the sureness with the ball will definitely help decide those games in the future. 

“We’re going to continue developing our young guys,” Crites said. “The guys are being asked to handle the ball against a lot of pressure. I think that Oliver is doing a great job. He’s (a freshman) and is being asked, particularly in the Moberly game, to handle a lot of pressure, and he’s doing a good job. I’m confident we’ll keep getting better as long as we remain in a position where we can compete and do it for each other like we did tonight.”