Central Shoots Lights Out, Routs Clarksburg ND, 95-46

Maroon Knights Connect On Season-Best 18 Three-Point Goals

WHEELING -- There were several marksmen running loose inside the Wheeling Central Athletic Center Tuesday night. However, there was no reason for alarm or public safety, for that fact. It was just Wheeling Central going through another night of outstanding shooting on Coach Skip Prosser Court.

Seven Maroon Knights players - four starters and a trio of reserves - combined to tickle the twine at a red-hot 75 percent from beyond the three-point arc in posting a repeat, 95-46, boys' basketball victory over visiting Clarksburg Notre Dame (2-17). The Ohio Countians prevailed 87-44 earlier this season in Clarksburg.

They knocked down a season-high 18 treys in the one-sided contest on just two dozen attempts. For the game, they were 38-for-61 (63 percent).

"A lot of our three-pointers came after the extra pass ... just one more pass," veteran Wheeling Central head coach Mel Stephens noted. "These kids are unselfish. They don't care who scores, as long as we win. We've had games where we've shot 25 threes, but some of those were contested. Tonight, for the most part, we were shooting uncontested and I feel pretty good when my guys get a good look at the basket.

"It was a good night for us."

Junior Quinton Burlenski once again led the assault on the rim with four triples en route to a game-high 22 points. He was one of four Maroon Knights (11-9) in double figures as sophomore Troy Anthony had a trio of treys and finished with 17 points. Junior Eli Dean, a last-minute replacement in the starting lineup as classmate Isaac Schmitt wasn't able to go, added a dozen markers and hit two bonus goals. Sophomore Dom Gianangeli came off the bench to bury two triples and ended with 11 points.

Classmate Tyler Dean, who rebounded the missed shot against Linsly last week and fed Anthony for the game-winning shot, had a trio of three-pointers for nine points. Junior Jeremy Ratcliffe and sophomore Braxton Billick each contributed eight points and evenly divided four bonus goals.

"Our goal is to get better every game," Stephens said. "We'll try to build off of this and go to East Liverpool, which is a tough place to play, on Friday and see what happens."

Wheeling Central charted 25 assists as Burlenski handed out seven and Anthony five. Burlenski also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and recorded three steals. Anthony had half-a-dozen boards.

The Maroon Knights will head north on Ohio 7 Friday night to meet OVAC Class 4A champion East Liverpool.