By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – The last time a city series matchup between the Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern boys basketball team had a snail-like pace, five overtimes were needed to determine the eventual victor.

And while that February 28, 1986 bout ended in a 39-37 win for the Rams, the Lancers tried to slow things down against Central on Friday afternoon in an attempt to curtail a certain 7-foot center – and crew – from popping off offensively. 

While the Rams didn’t score as much as in previous contests, Eastern missed several shots on the flip side, trailed by double-figures at the half, and absorbed a tough 50-26 loss at the hands of undefeated Central from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium in a CCC Region B contest.

The Ram finished the season at a perfect 12-0 and will battle state power Windsor in a CCC Tournament first round encounter on Monday.

While the game against Eastern (2-7) wasn’t a fast paced back-and-forth affair, Central took good shots at the hoop, ran its offense, and tallied a double-figure edge midway through the second period of play.

“I told my guys to be patient,” said coach Tim Barrette. “We had to keep the ball pressure up, which we did a good job of [and] not lose focus. You know, at the end of the game, [we were] still up 18 at [the] half. Yes, it’s not necessarily the tempo where we want it but at the same time, if you’re comfortable in a lead for the entire game, after the first two minutes, you know, it’s a weird feeling basketball because I’ll tell you this, it’s the opposite of what we’re going to experience on Monday versus Windsor [in the CCC Tournament].”

Central’s Donovan Clingan finished strongly at the hoop, pouring in 23 points, nabbed several offensive rebounds and blocked his quota of shots.

And when Eastern missed hoops, Central turned defense into offense.

“We knew they were going to slow the game down,” said Clingan of Eastern. “Our goal was to just come in here and play as a team, work together and score. We knew on the defensive end that it would [take] a little longer so we just had to make sure we locked up on defense.”

Clingan notched 10 first period points to lead Central but Eastern’s Trini Otero (eight points) hit a long three and when Elijah Parent (12 points, four rebounds) flipped in a hoop to end the frame, Central’s lead was just 11-5 as the visitors were hanging around.

“I had a game plan. I know they’re going to shoot 50-percent with” Clingan said Eastern coach Bunty Ray. “We have to maximize our possessions. Every time we have the ball and they don’t, that probably sometimes can be your best defense. I mean you have the ball and they don’t when they have that weapon [Clingan].”

“[We] held them to fifty. We did the best we could. [Central’s] a good team.”

The Rams came out strongly in the second stanza and had a chance to connect on four consecutive three-point plays to put some distance between the programs on the scoreboard.

Clingan made an and-1 but missed another chance to complete one, D’Ante Ross – playing extremely well over the second half of the season – popped in a 3 and when Eli Rodriguez (five points) canned two-of-three charity shots with 3:32 left before the half, Central’s edge reached 21-5.

Otero made a 3 with 1:57 left in the second to make it a 13-point game but the Lancers, thanks in part that looming enforcer in and around the paint, shots simply didn’t fall for the Kingstreeters over the first 16 minutes of action.

“A lot of balls went in and out for us,” said Ray. “If those go down, a little energy happens…our execution needs to be better obviously.”

Sean Wininger (10 points) then jammed home a 3 and when Ross hit two foul shots to end the second period, Central’s edge at the half reached 26-8.

“Tonight was a testament of wills,” said Barrette. “It’s a tough night. We just shifted our focus. At halftime, we talked about not letting [Eastern] get to twenty [points]. If we’re going to play at this pace, then let’s play at this pace. But if we win this half by 18 [points] as well, then we win this game by 36 points and it doesn’t look so bad.”

Central continued to increase its edge going into the third quarter but Parent notched six points in the frame with his last lay-up making it a 38-16 game with just under forty seconds to go in the tilt.

“We started [to] calm down,” said Parent about Eastern’s offense. “Like in the first half, we started getting crazy, trying to force stuff, and then we started to relax, calm down, run through our [offense] and we started to get more open shots.”

Clingan cashed in on an offensive rebound while Damion Glasper (four points) hit two technical free throws to end the third as Central carried a 42-16 edge into the final frame of play.

Another dunk by Clingan and a lay-in from Glasper made it a 30 point game (46-16) with 6:20 to play but Dylan Woodsome (four points, five rebounds) hit two hoops over a mini 6-0 Eastern run that chopped the deficit to 46-22 late.

“He’s out there battling,” said Ray of Woodsome. “Woody gives you what Woody gives you. He’s a tremendous energy player. Not having him for a while [over this season and last year at points], that hurts you. Kids get energized by that type of player so having him out [there] the last couple of games has been really good.”

Parent and Tyler Donohue (two points, four rebounds) hit shots late while one final offensive rebound and hoop from Jayeson VanBeveren ended the scoring with Central coming away with the 24-point victory.

“We go back to work tomorrow morning,” said Barrette. “No days off for us. We have to prepare [for Windsor].”  

And so will Eastern as the CCC Tournament is also on tap next week after one final regular season contest against Avon on Saturday.

“We’re playing, we’re competing, we’re doing the best we can,” said Ray. “My games are lined up and the kids aren’t quitting. They’re staying with their teammates and doing the things they need to do when things are rough.”

“When things get rough, you’ve got to rely on your teammates and you know what, that’s what they’re doing. They’re in good spirits and we’re going to keep playing this thing out.”  

CCC Region B boys basketball

BRISTOL CENTRAL 50, BRISTOL EASTERN 26

Bristol Eastern (2-7) 5 3 8 10 – 26

Bristol Central (12-0) 11 15 16 8 – 50

BRISTOL EASTERN (26): Nasir Walker 0 0 0, Elijah Parent 5 2 12, Josh Kolano 0 0 0, Dylan Woodsome 2 0 4, Trini Otero 3 0 8, Tyler Donohue 1 0 2, Trevor Nohilly 0 0 0, Axel Fernandez 0 0 0, Jack Stavens 0 0 0, Brayden Dauphinais 0 0 0, Nate Fries 0 0 0. Totals: 11 2 26.

BRISTOL CENTRAL (50): Victor Rosa 0 0 0, Damion Glasper 1 2 4, Eli Rodriguez 1 2 5, D’Ante Ross 1 3 6, Sean Wininger 4 0 10, Carson Rivoira 0 0 0, Donovan Clingan 10 3 23, Jayeson Van Beveren 1 0 2. Totals: 18 10 50.

Three-point goals: Otero (BE) 2, Rodriguez (BC), Ross (BC), Wininger (BC) 2.

Records: Bristol Central 12-0 overall; Bristol Eastern 2-7