(Ashton Williamson posted a gaudy statline in Friday night's loss to Hammond Central)

 

On Friday night, Hammond Central erased a four-point halftime deficit to beat Gary 21st Century Charter, 90-77.

 

Indiana Basketball Source’s 1A No. 2 21st Century looked great early as junior point guard Ashton Williamson hit a three-pointer on its first possession. Moments later, Williamson assisted on a Quintin Floyd three-pointer from the corner, and the Cougars were off and running.

 

21st built an early 11-6 lead, but that did not last for long in the high-paced game. Vynce Overshown took a pass from Jordan Woods and cashed it for three points to give Hammond Central the 13-12 lead.

 

Floyd and Williamson carried 21st Century throughout the game, and the pair scored the final eight points for the Cougars in the first quarter. Floyd tallied 11 points in the opening period despite shooting 1-7 from the free-throw line. Williamson recorded six points, five rebounds, and four assists in the stanza.

 

The Cougars played well to begin the second quarter as Roy Cast and Floyd scored in the first minute while holding Hammond Central scoreless. That put 21st up 24-16.

 

The game shifted just over a minute into the second quarter as Williamson committed his third foul. It sent the star junior to the bench, and the Cougar offense started to slow slightly.

 

Woods, Davion Doty, and Pharrell White helped the Wolves claw back into the game. With 30 seconds left in the half, Hammond Central tied the game at 34 on a Matthew King bucket. DJ Moss answered for 21st, then found Cast for a layup seconds later to give the Cougars a four-point halftime lead.

 

Central made 13-19 free throws in the first half compared to 1-9 for 21st Century. However, those missed opportunities for the Cougars came back to bite them.

 

Central scored the first eight points of the second half, with King having a hand in most of it. He scored five of the points, rebounded, and created steals.

 

With Central up four, Williams and Floyd went back to work. The pair carried the load offensively for 21st, and Floyd was a force on the glass. Floyd scored a couple of minutes later to put 21st Century up 44-42. It was developing into a seesaw affair.

 

In the third quarter, Woods’ ability to find open shooters in transition came to light. He found Overshown for a three to put Hammond Central up 49-44 with 3:30 left in the third. Later in the period, Woods spotted White for another three. The Wolves made five three-pointers in the third. Suddenly, Central led by eight points.

 

Kenneth Grant went nuts for Hammond Central in the fourth as the Wolves blew the game open. He scored 15 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. Grant did it in various ways – free throws, threes, and layups.

 

When Woods scored a couple of minutes into the fourth, the Hammond lead has swelled to 13 points. The efficiency of the Central offense was fantastic in the final period and helped the Wolves coast to a victory.

 

Williamson and Floyd kept scoring for 21st Century, but the turnovers, missed free throws, and lack of three-point shooter kept the Cougars from making it a game in the fourth.

 

Central won 90-77.

 

Woods added 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals to Grant’s 23 points and six rebounds. King finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. While also scored 12 points and had eight rebounds. Overshown scored 11 points.

 

Floyd led 21st Century with 28 points and 14 rebounds but also committed 11 turnovers. Williamson tallied 27 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Moss tallied three points, four rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Cast added six points.

 

Hammond Central moved to 13-5 on the year with the win. 21st Century drops to 11-3 and plays Morgan Township on Saturday.