CONWAY, Ark. - The Gents shot 58.6 percent (17-for-29) in the first half to build a 21-point halftime lead and overcame a furious second half rally by the Warriors as Centenary (5-2) knocked off Hendrix (1-6) 86-69 in its first true road game of the season Sunday afternoon, December 3.
Trailing 8-7 four minutes into the game, Centenary scored 10 unanswered to take the lead for good. Sophomore Cedric Harris drained a three. After a stop, Harris missed another three-point attempt, but senior Travion Kirkendoll grabbed the offensive board and made a layup to push the advantage to four. Kirkendoll then picked up a steal and made the layup while being fouled. He made the ensuing free throw and after another Hendrix turnover, freshman James Helzer made a pair from the line to give Centenary a 17-8 lead.
Hendrix stopped the run with a split from the charity stripe, but junior Treylan Matthews hit a triple to push the Centenary lead to double digits. Matthews finished the game with 13 points on a 5-for-6 mark from the field, including 3-for-4 from behind the arc. Harris chipped in 22.
Kirkendoll eclipsed the 30-point barrier for the second-straight game and the third time this season, finishing with 32 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals.
The Warriors cut the lead to 20-14, but Centenary responded with another 10 unanswered to take a double-digit lead for the rest of the first half. Junior Regis Johnson made a layup followed by another Kirkendoll steal and layup. Harris followed with back-to-back triples, finishing 4-for-6 from behind the arc in the first half alone.
After the Warriors cut the lead to three with 8:58 left in the game, Centenary went on a 19-3 run in a six-minute span - holding Hendrix to a lone three-pointer in a six-minute span. During the run, Centenary went 4-for-6 from the field and 10-for-12 from the charity stripe.
With Hendrix trailing 56-36 with 15:20 left in the game, a 23-6 run cut the lead to a single possession. Jacob Link made a three, Kam Brasfield made a layup and Michael Calamese made a three to cut the lead to 12. Later in the half, Marcis Hall made a layup and Trey Rouse made a three to cut it to seven After a free throw from Gents junior Mitchell Tarantolo, Jack Eaton made a three and Hall punctuated the run with a layup.
Five players reached double-digit scoring, led by Hall's 14 off the bench. Rouse added 12 and Link and Eric Roberts scored 11. Calamese added seven assists and five points.
Centenary returns to action next Saturday, December 9, when it travels to Austin to take on Concordia. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
