The Tigers snapped a two-game losing skid by holding Warner to just seven baskets all night while cruising to a 48-18 blowout win at the Central gym.
Central moved to 2-2 by winning its Northeast Lakes Conference opener. Warner fell to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the league after being held to 18.9 percent shooting from the floor by the Tigers.
Jeremy Cheater led a balanced scoring attack for Central with 10 points. The junior forward buried a pair of three-point shots and had eight points during the first quarter as the Tigers took immediate control. When Jose Tarin dished to Preston Postoak for a layup at the buzzer, Central led 11-4 entering the second quarter.
Central didn't allow a field goal during the second period while Warner went 0-for-7 from the floor. Tye Weaver's free throw was the only Eagle point during the stanza as the Tigers increased their lead to 14. Wes Rogers scored twice off assists from Ricky Corbit to make it 19-5 at halftime.
The Tigers led by as many as 18 in the third quarter, although Weaver scored eight of his team-high 11 points to keep Warner fairly close. Central led 29-15 at the end of the period.
Another Warner cold spell over the final eight minutes allowed Central to coast to the win. The Eagles hit just 1-of-10 shots down the stretch and the Tigers closed the contest with a 19-3 spurt.
Josh Blackbird and Preston Postoak scored nine points apiece to finish as Central's top scorers behind Cheater. Wes Rogers, Jake Goodwin and Corbit all had four points each, Tarin three, Skyler Rogers and Andy Edwards two each and Seth Polasek one.
Weaver was the only Warner player with more than two points.
The Tigers out-shot Warner and also out-rebounded the Eagles. Cheater, Postoak, Corbit and Tarin all grabbed four rebounds for Central and Josh Randolph snagged three more.
Warner 56, Central 49 (Girls)
Class 2A No. 6-ranked Warner held off a determined upset bid by the Lady Tigers to claim the win Tuesday night in both team's Northeast Lakes Conference opener.
Jaclyn Toney scored 13 points, Megan Garrison added 11 and Kim Milligan 10 for Warner, which improved to 4-0 after winning the Connors Invitational last week.
Central fell to 2-2 on the season, but not before making several runs at the Warner lead.
The Lady Eagles opened up a 15-point advantage in the second quarter only to see the Lady Tigers battle back with a 7-0 surge at the end of half. Jennifer Ridinger's basket ignited the run. Sarah Winans swished a baseline shot, Lacey Wallace scored off a steal and Winans added a free throw to make it 33-25 at the break.
The Lady Tigers clawed back to within 34-30 three minutes into the third period following a driving shot and a three-pointer from Blair Haggard.
Central shot just 8-of-33 (24.2 percent) from the field in the second half, but still managed to keep the game close. The closest the Lady Tigers got was 38-35 after back-to-back baskets from Winans late in the third quarter.
A 9-0 Warner run gave the visitors a 14-point cushion early in the fourth quarter. A late flurry of three-point baskets from Haggard, Wallace, Bunny Postoak and Winans had Central back to within seven late in the game, but the Lady Tigers could get no closer.
Winans, a sophomore, led Central with a game-high 15 points. Junior point guard Haggard added 14 while sinking two treys and going 6-of-8 from the line. Ridinger chipped in seven points and a team-high nine rebounds. Wallace scored six, Sharp four and Postoak three. Winans and Sharp also grabbed five rebounds each.
Next up for Central is another conference game at Oktaha next Tuesday.
