Miller, Clausen deny Southern in Safari Cup
Kyle Miller demonstrated the value of a returning import, as Central Districts’ men continued their undefeated start to the season, holding off Southern 81-67.
Faced with the longest “road trip” of the Central ABL season, the Tigers again had to come from behind, but were not able to claw back the lead after a slow start to the game.
Taking advantage of having no game the previous night, Centrals raced to an 11-2 lead, Miller scoring 5 early points and prompting an early time out from Southern coach Rashad Tucker.
Sam McDaniel continued his good form from the night before, scoring twice in the key and assisting Michael Florance to help Southern reduce the lead to 3 at quarter time.
Chris Clausen triggered a mini run for Centrals, scoring off two post moves, and Jordan Centernera extended the margin, first via an assist to Miller than with two baskets of his own. Clausen hit a 3 on the half time buzzer to put the Lions up 16 going into the break.
Southern’s inevitable run started in the third. A three from Codey Ellison produced fist pumps and two threes from Anthony Mathews had Southern on a roll.
A comical entanglement between Clausen and Kenny Brunner went from heated to jovial in milliseconds, but meanwhile, when Tim Smyth hit a layup with, the lead was back to 2.
Centrals regained some composure in the 4th, but were never able to break free. Sam Johns scored in the post over Miller, then Miller and Atkins combined to score a basket each. With the lead back out to 13 with under 4 minutes to go, Centrals looked safe.
Southern made another late run, on the back of two baskets from Johns and a three from Ellison after an offensive rebound from McDaniel, but when Miller inadvertently banked a 3, the lead was back at ten and the game was won.
Miller scored consistently for Centrals, finishing with 27, including 2 big baskets late in the fourth to put the result beyond doubt.
Johns was Southern’s best, scoring 19 points and again demonstrated his ability to produce at critical times.
Long time Southern and Centrals point guard Matt Clarke, who retired at the end of the 2012 season, was on hand to present the Safari Cup to Centrals’ captain Luke Frost at the post-game function.
Central Districts Lions 81 (Kyle Miller 27, Chris Clausen 21, Jordan Centernera 8)
Southern Tigers 67 (Samuel Johns 19, Anthony Mathews 11, Samuel McDaniel 10)
By Paul Arnott
Photo courtesy of Tanya Fielding
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