SHREVEPORT, La. - Coming into the game Saturday night, January 14, it was no secret the Gents like to get out and run - having outscored opponents 190-74 in that category through 18 games.
The Maroon and White took it to another level against the Crusaders with a season-best 33 fastbreak points as Centenary (8-8, 2-3 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) outlasted Dallas (5-9, 0-5 SCAC) 97-81 at the Gold Dome.
Despite a 11-point lead on a jumper from freshman Cedric Harris to begin the second half, Dallas cut the deficit to 66-65 with about 10 minutes left in the game. After Gents sophomore Travion Kirkendoll split from the line, junior KJ Boyd picked up a steal and hit the fastbreak hoop. Dallas cut the lead in half with a pair from the charity stripe, but senior James Sapp hit a layup, grabbed a defensive board, and hit a transition mid-range jumper to push the lead to six.
After the teams traded buckets, Harris grabbed a defensive board and found junior Dyllon Weaver in stride racing down the court for the finger-roll hoop. Victor Garate answered with a three for Dallas, but Sapp hit another mid-range jumper and Boyd hit a pair from the line. They led 82-71 with 5:33 left, and the Gents never led by less than six the rest of the way.
Sapp led all scorers with 27 points and nine boards on an efficient 12-for-16 (75 percent) shooting from the field. Boyd added 21, making all nine free throws attempted. Harris contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.
Dallas tried to run with the Gents to stay in the game, but Centenary held the visitors without a field goal in the final three minutes while scoring nine themselves. Sapp hit the hoop and harm to push the lead to double-digits for good. Darrius Colvin split from the line for Dallas, but Boyd hit a pair of layups and then added a dime to Sapp for the fastbreak layup.
Boyd added a layup with 10 seconds left for the final 16-point margin.
Centenary, who trailed only 2:31 in the early moments of the game, came out strong with a 57.1 percent (20-35) field goal percentage in the first half. While only shooting 39.5 percent (17-for-43) in the second half, the Gents held Dallas to 33.3 percent (12-for-36).
Centenary received a big momentum boost right before half. After Dallas scored off an offensive rebound on a jumper by Prince Giadolor, the Gents raced down the court and Weaver missed a triple. However, sophomore Mitchell Tarantolo hustled for the rebound and flipped to Weaver. Weaver shoveled off the ball to junior Travion Kirkendoll, who banked in a three as time expired.
Kirkendoll scored 15 points and tallied seven assists, while Weaver added 11 points.
With Centenary up 58-48, Dallas scored eight unanswered to pull within a single possession. Tom Kaiser made a pair of layups and Colvin hit a pair from the line to cut the lead to four with 17:11. While Centenary never surrendered the lead in the second half, the Gents never led by more than four the next nine minutes.
Colvin capped the mini run by the Crusaders with a layup.
Despite 10 more field goals in the game for the Gents, the Crusaders capitalized with a 10-5 advantage in three pointers.
Michael Sarrat and Gilador led Dallas with 15 points while Colvin added 12.
Centenary continues its four-game home stand next Friday, January 20, when it hosts Southwestern. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.
