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The Central High School Lions launched their 2024-25 basketball season on Nov. 12. Now four games into their season, head coach Brian Coleman said the team felt good coming off of a close buzzer-beater win over Luverne School on Nov. 19, 61-60.

“We won in the last shot,” Coleman said. “We won on a buzzer beater at the end of the game.”

The season began with a road trip to play Wilcox Central Nov. 12. The Lions were defeated in each matchup, with the boys going 80-63, girls falling 59-3 and JV at 36-26.

But the Lions fared better against Luverne. While the girls fell 55-19 and the JV team came up just short, 50-41, the varsity boys matched the Tigers point-for-point, prevailing with no time to spare when Christian Lawrence sank the winning basket.

“He hit the shot,” Coleman said. “We were down by two with six seconds left. We could have gone for two to tie, but we went for three to win.”

A key player, Iyanis Wallace, made 18 points in the match. Lawrence, who was nominated for round 12 Athlete of the Week, ended the game with 20 points and scored 19 points against Wilcox. He racked up three threes during the game.

The Luverne game, slated to play in Luverne, was held at Central instead because the Tigers were hosting a football playoff. The Lions fell to Luverne in January, but didn’t allow the Tigers to triumph on their home court.

Central finished with 13 offensive rebounds and a strong performance. The win put the Lions at 1-1 on the season.

At press time, the Lions prepared to host Bullock County on their home court. They will host Wilcox Central at home on Thursday.