Brookfield Central boys looking for some help

With three Greater Metro Conference basketball games left on their schedule, the Brookfield Central boys need to get their act together if they don't want to see what had started as a promising season ending prematurely.

First of all, winning the title that seemed like it was going to be theirs for the taking is the Lancers biggest concern. The Lancers' main concern would be to win a game, since they have lost three straight conference games, the latest a 63-59 decision Friday at home to West Allis Central, who now sits on top of the GMC.

The win put the Bulldogs (9-2, 13-4) in first place, while the Lancers fell to second (8-3, 13-5). West Allis Central has won nine of 10 games, including seven straight in GMC play.

Help, even if team wins out

If Central wins out, the Lancers need someone to beat the Bulldogs, who play Marquette, Menomonee Falls and Brookfield East the final three games. The Lancers meanwhile have to sweep Brookfield East, Wauwatosa West and Sussex Hamilton.

"This would be the first time since 1979 since we last put up a conference banner so it feels real good to be on the top," said Najeal McMillian, who led the Bulldogs with 18 points. "But we have three more conference games left - Marquette, Falls, which has been playing real well, and Brookfield East on the road. We still need to go hard for the next three weeks so we can clinch this title and make it not a fluke."

The Bulldogs, a talented and athletic basketball team with a never quit attitude, came back twice and finally passed the Lancers for good with six minutes left to play.

The Bulldogs led 22-19 with 4:11 left in the half, when the Lancers went on a 12-0 run to take a 31-22 lead with 1:09 to play. But baskets by McMillian and Tonnie Collier cut the lead to 31-26 at intermission.

The Lancers began the second half with a 12-6 run to increase their lead to 43-32 with 3:36 left in the quarter. Seth Mortag had six points and Riley LaChance four in that stretch.

But the Bulldogs came back and cut the lead to 46-44 after three behind McMillian (four points), Jaquan Carlson (three), Jarvis Garrett (three) and Darvell Brown (two) while all the Lancers could muster was a 3-pointer by LaChance. The Bulldogs just dominated on the offensive glass.

"It never went away the whole night," a disappointed Lancers coach Mark Adams said. "Even when we went on the run and got that 11-point lead, they were still doing it during that time. We were operating at a pretty high efficiency on the offensive end at that time to make up for it. But it was still misleading.

"When you have people that tall and that athletic, you've got to do something physically with that position to get your body into them and we just didn't do it consistently enough. All things being equal, they still are going to out jump you."

Late Bulldogs surge

The Lancers' last lead was 50-48 on two free throws and a basket by Mortag, before the Bulldogs took control with a 15-9 run the rest of the way.

The Bulldogs' Garrett hit a 3-pointer, Brown two free throws, Collier a rebound basket, McMillian a rebound basket, there were two free throws by Collier, a fastbreak basket and two free throws by Garrett.

Mortag had two free throws, Nick Olson scored a free throw and two baskets and Jack Sandstrom added a bucket on the buzzer for the Lancers to sum up Brookfield's scoring in the last 4:13.

Bulldogs coach David Mlachnik is in his first year as the boys coach after coaching the girls.

"We want to go hard each game going 32 minutes," he said. "Whether we're down or whether we're up - just keep playing our game. Play as a team and share the basketball. We talked about it all year tonight we did it for 32 minutes."

McMillian had 18 points, Collier 16, Garrett 14 and Brown 12, while LaChance and Mortag had 18 each for the Lancers.

So now the shoe is on the other foot, Adams said.

"I thought we fought to the finish," he said. "I reminded them things are different from the first 15 games. Unfortunately now this is the first time ever that we are not in control of our destiny.

"Until someone says there are not enough games to be played or we can't get it, we have to approach it that we're in this thing. Except now before they (Bulldogs) were asking for help and now we are."

TUESDAY'S RESULTS

Lancers 74, Wis. Lutheran 58

Brookfield Central snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Wisconsin Lutheran, 74-58, on the road Tuesday.

The Lancers took a 37-29 lead in a high-scoring first half and increased it to 56-44 through three quarters. Seth Mortag had 24 points and Riley LaChance added 22 while Chris Golden led the Vikings with 16.

Central improved its overall record to 14-5, while Wisconsin Lutheran fell to 11-7.