No. 17 CBC wraps up non-conference play with win

LITTLE ROCK — Playing outside of the American Midwest Conference for the final time this season, #17 Central Baptist College men’s basketball took on the Philander Smith University Panthers this week inside Crawford J. Mims Gymnasium. CBC (17-4) led at halftime and clamped down defensively in the second half, outscoring PSU (17-6) 43-30 for an 89-69 win.

Sage Borbon led four Mustangs in double figures scoring, a group that also included Wade Williams, Gabe Johnson and Jonas Carlisle. The Mustangs hit 11 threes and went 16-17 at the free throw line while outrebounding the Panthers 33-31 and forcing 13 turnovers while committing just six.

GAME FLOW

The game went back-and-forth early and was tied at 18 with 12 minutes to go in the first half. Williams would put the Mustangs ahead 21-18 with 11:42 to play, sparking a 7-2 run over the next 1:37 to give CBC a 28-20 lead with 10:05 to go. PSU chipped away to cut the lead to 30-28 with 7:44 left before a three from Borbon made it 33-28 with 6:26 until halftime. The lead would stretch to 43-34 with 3:07 left before the Mustangs did not score again in the half and carried a 43-39 lead into the break.

Savaughn Smith started the second half with a layup to push the lead to six before PSU went on a 10-5 run that ended with 13:54 to go and cut the lead to 50-49. A jumper from Brian Alexander followed and then another Borbon three pushed the lead back to six before another run from the Panthers made it 59-56 with 8:45 to go. The Mustangs really ran away over the final 8:45, while holding the Panthers without a point over the final 2:17 to avenge an earlier loss this season.

GAME NOTES

  • Head coach Sam Kohnke became the winningest coach in program history, capturing win number 81 in just 117 games in charge
  • Borbon led the way with 28 points including a perfect 10-10 at the free throw line, his third game with 10-or-more makes this season
  • Williams added 16 points and grabbed a team high seven rebounds
  • Johnson chipped in with 15 points while handing out a team-best four assists
  • Carlisle added 12 points
  • Devin Foster added six blocked shots and joined James Moore and Michael Holder as the only players in program history with 100-or-more blocks
  • CBC’s six turnovers are the fewest in a game this season
  • CBC improved to 7-6 all-time against PSU
  • The Mustangs are now 16-2 when leading at the half this season

UP NEXT

CBC starts the final seven game stretch of American Midwest Conference play on Saturday with the homecoming game against Missouri Baptist. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will follow the crowning of the homecoming queen.