Central cements division title with wins in past week

Just like its football team did last fall, Walled Lake Central’s boys varsity basketball team has completed an impressive run in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) North Division and now has a division championship to its credit.

The Vikings (13-3 overall, 9-1 in the KLAA North) clinched the title with two decisive victories this past week over Waterford Mott and Kettering to clinch the KLAA North Division’s top seed in the KLAA Tournament, which begins this week.

“I’m very, very proud of our effort on a day-to-day basis,” said Central Head Coach Dennis Butcher. “They have bought into the defensive mentality and we’re holding teams to low field-goal percentage and it feeds our offense.”

Central began the week with a 52-39 victory at home over Waterford Mott on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

The Vikings led 27-19 at halftime and outscored the Corsairs 25-20 in the second half.

Louis Nelson had 15 points to lead the Vikings while Dan Coric had 10 points, Hayden Coe scored 9 and Adam Coric and Zac Leimbach each scored 8 points.

Chris Dewberry led Mott (7-8, 4-6) with 15 points while DeShawn Bryan had 12.

Central then officially wrapped up the KLAA North title with a 55-41 victory at home over Waterford Kettering on Friday, Feb. 11.

The Vikings led 26-15 at halftime and outscored the Captains 29-26 in the second half to hold on for the win.

Coe led Central with 18 points, including 6-for-6 shooting from the free-throw line while Nelson had 12 and Adam Coric had 9.

Brett Hoffman led Kettering (9-7, 5-5) with 13 points.

Butcher said that at the beginning of the season he believed his team had a division title run in it.

“We had three to four core guys returning and our (junior varsity) team was 20-0 last season,” he said.

Central will open the KLAA Lakes Conference Tournament tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 17 by hosting the KLAA West’s No. 4 seed, Huron Valley Milford.

The winner will face either Kettering, the North’s No. 3 seed, or Pinckney, the West’s No. 2 seed, in the semi-finals on Monday, Feb. 21.

A KLAA West team is scheduled to host the semi-finals, but if two teams from the same division were to meet, the highest seed would host the game.