By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Updated: Saturday, January 16, 2010 4:08 AM CST

PARK HILLS — The Central Rebels had what it took when the game was on the line as their defensive play took the game away from the Potosi Trojans, forcing four turnovers by the Trojans once the Rebels had the lead in the last two minutes of play.

Jermaine Jones electrified the home crowd by picking up a loose ball on Potosi’s end, and leading the pack downcourt, he slammed the ball home at the buzzer for an exclamation point on Central’s 67-60 win. Jones was tops in scoring and rebounds with 19 points, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots.

The Rebels finished off the game offensively on a 10-3 run with most of the points coming off of Potosi’s turnovers. With the score tied at 57-57, Jones made a steal and a feed to Preston Harlow for an uncontested lay-up for the lead with two minutes left in the game.

Tanner Skaggs followed with a steal and a subsequent lay-up, and on the other end he blocked an open Potosi shot to regain the basketball for Central again. Skaggs scored two more times in the final minute of play to give him 16 points in the game.

It took both teams a two-minute warm-up after the opening tip to get their offenses rolling. Central had jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first six minutes before Taylor Breakfield scored the first field goal for Potosi. The Trojans battled back as Jones took a seat to rest, and they pulled to within one at 11-10 after one quarter.

Jones grabbed an offensive board to start the second quarter, and was fouled on the putback for two free throws. Kevin Bach hit a three on the other end for the first of four ties in the game.

Four straight turnovers by Central put the Trojans up 22-13 as they went on a 12-2 run, but a pair of threes by Luke Baker helped Central catch up to within three points. The Trojans would again surge ahead to lead by seven, but a three-pointer at the buzzer by Matt Ketterer made it 35-31 at the half.

The Rebels closed to within one early in the third quarter before Zach Gibson hit his second three of the frame for the Trojans, and Aaron Tyree added to Central’s highlight reel with a shot at the buzzer from 30 feet out.

Donovan Jones and Skaggs scored he first two baskets of the fourth quarter to give Central their first lead since the start of the second quarter, and the lead would change four times in a matter of 45 seconds until two free throws by Jermaine Jones tied the score at 55-55 with five minutes still left to play. They would tie it up again at 57-57.

Central (9-6 and 1-1 MAAA) next game is at St. Clair on Tuesday. Potosi (9-7 and 0-2 MAAA) will host Union on Tuesday.

Potosi  10  25  15  10 - 60

Central  11  20  16  20 - 67

SCORING:

Potosi - Dylan Eye 12, Zach Gibson 12, Hunter Belfield 12, Taylor Breakfield 10, Kevin Bach 8, Landon Young 6.  3 pt. FG - Gibson 4, Bach 2, Belfield, Young.

Central - Jermaine Jones 19, Tanner Skaggs 16, Luke Baker 10, Preston Harlow 9, Matt Ketterer 5, Donovan Jones 5, Aaron Tyree 3.  3 pt. FG - Baker 3, Tyree, Ketterer.