JOURNAL SPORTS
T’will be five nights before Christmas and the holiday spirit will be abundant this evening for the last Centenary home basketball game of 2025.
The Gents will close the calendar year tonight at 6 with a non-conference contest against the Cru of Mary Hardin-Baylor inside the Gold Dome.
Santa Claus will be in the house this evening for pictures and holiday cheer. Centenary is providing discounted tickets — adults get in for $5 and children 12 and under are free.
Prize giveaways and halftime contests involving fans will ramp up the entertainment for fans in the Gold Dome tonight, Centenary officials said.
The Gents (1-7) and Mary-Hardin Baylor Cru (6-4) will meet for the second time this season. UMBH recorded an 83-62 win over Centenary on Nov. 25 in Belton, Texas. The teams were tied at 36-36 at halftime, but the Cru outscored Centenary 47-26 in the second half.
Four of the Gents’ losses under first-year coach J.A. Anglin are by a combined total of 11 points – three settled by 1-2 points.
Centenary is coming off a 103-82 loss to the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets last Friday in Brownwood, Texas while UMHB defeated Concordia 96-82 on the road last Sunday. The Gents are 0-2 at home so far this season and the Cru are 3-3 on the road.
The Gents average 67.5 points, shoot 41 percent from the floor, 26.5 percent from 3-point range, and 72 percent on the free-throw line while averaging 32.9 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 7.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks. Centenary’s defense has been solid and tested against a difficult schedule through eight games, as the Gents rank fourth in the conference in scoring defense (76.6) and are second in 3-point defense (29.8 percent allowed).
Four Gents are averaging double figures in scoring, led by senior guard Craig Collier at 15.6 with another senior guard, Quentin Beverly, right behind him with a 14.6 rate.
Freshman Jaden Braden is scoring 10.6 per game and sophomore Nicholas Addison is contributing a 10.4 average.
The Gents return to action on Friday, Jan. 2 against LeTourneau at home in a conference contest.
Tickets are available for tonight’s game at the link below:
https://fan.hudl.com/tickets/VGlja2V0ZWRFdmVudDY4ZWQ2YmM5ZGExNjhlMDYzZTFmZmM1Yw==