Basketball kicks off season with a win
Chris McCarty
Central was paced by senior David Webber and high school teammate Mike Manciel.
Webber threw in a team-high 26 points, five assists, five rebounds while committing no turnovers in 37 minutes of action. He also was credited with three steals.
“I want to get everyone else involved. I took 17 shots tonight but I could have easily taken 25,” Webber said.
Manciel, who had missed practice last week with a bone chip in his right foot, the same foot he broke two years ago.
“I feel as good as I think I can feel,” Manciel said.
He scored 22 points and pulled down four boards.
“It is great to have him back. He opens up more stuff for me. When Mike clogs up the middle gap a lot of times I am standing wide open,” Webber said.
It took the Chippewas a while to dispense of the Thunder as the biggest lead the Chippewas were able to build was a nine point lead with 24 seconds to go in the half. The game was tied six times in the first half but CMU went in to the half with a seven point lead.
“I was defiantly scared,” Webber said.
The Thunder came out in the second half and built a five point lead before Webber took over. He scored 17 of the Chippewas final 37 points as CMU pulled away from Tri-State.
“Today is one where a lower ranked team comes in here and plays there backsides off,” CMU Head Coach Jay Smith said. “We told our kids during the first time out that this is the best thing that could happen to us. We are going to get into a dog fight early and find out what we are made out of and see how we respond when we are down.”
CMU travels to Dayton for a date with the Flyers, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., before hosting Georgia State Saturday at 2 p.m. at Rose.
The Flyers defeated Mid-American Conference rival Toledo on Sunday 69-50. Toledo only scored 14 first half points, as Dayton built a 20 point lead at halftime.
They were led by Sean Finn at center, the 6’11” sophomore scored 13 points and hauled down 10 rebounds.
Brooks Hall scored 15 points to lead all Flyer scorers.
The Chippewas will had to play Tri-State and Dayton without center Chris Kaman. Kaman was suspended by the NCAA for playing in illegal summer tournaments.
“He made a poor decision and has learned his lesson from it,” Smith said.
Georgia State comes into Rose Arena last year the team made it to the NCAA Tournament.
