Boys basketball roundup: Central starts tourney with win

12/28/2001

PHOENIX - Toledo Central Catholic soared to a 41-26 halftime lead en route to a 72-48 victory over Mount Si (Wash.) in the first round of the Cactus Jam boys basketball tournament yesterday.

Dominic Harrison scored 14 points, Andy Mix 12 and John Thomas 11 as the balanced Irish bounced the Wildcats (2-6), who cut their deficit to nine points early in the second half before Central (6-2) pulled away again.

Jeff Ratcliffe paced Mount Si with 15 points, but he was the only Wildcat to reach double figures.

The Irish pushed the Wildcats into 17 turnovers while committing only nine.

Central meets Grant County (Ky.) at 1:15 p.m. today (Toledo time) in the semifinals of the eight-team tournament.

CINCINNATI WOODWARD 72, START 54

INDIANAPOLIS - Start suffered through 28 turnovers in losing to unbeaten Cincinnati Woodward in the first round of the North Central Christmas Tournament.

Jon Easley finished with 10 points to lead the Spartans (1-6), who were outscored 29-17 in the second half.

Kiami Watson led all scorers with 20 for Cincinnati Woodward (8-0).

PERRYSBURG 56, SANDUSKY 51

SANDUSKY - Hal Munger tossed in 15 points and Mike Dhondt and Mike Mefford added 12 and 10, respectively, for the Yellow Jackets (5-3).

Isaac Hurst paced Sandusky (4-3) with 12.

EVERGREEN 60, HUDSON 42

HUDSON, Mich. - The Vikings earned the right to play Stryker in the Border Classic championship game as Doc Skeldon scored 21 of his game-high 26 points in the second half.

Skeldon and Dan Stong each had three treys for Evergreen, which sank nine as a team. Stong finished with 11 for the Vikings (7-0).