UNIONVILLE, Tenn. – The Community Vikings (8-4) overcame an extremely slow start against Murfreesboro Central Magnet (2-8) on Thursday to get back to winning ways before the Christmas Break, 74-59.

Coming off of a rough outing against Eagleville on Tuesday that resulted in some rotation adjustments against the Tigers, the Vikings trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half before Charlie Haskins took over in the second half. The junior guard scored 25 of his 31 total points in the final two quarters, nearly matching Central Magnet’s second-half total of 26 points by himself.

“There’s some bright spots in there,” Vikings’ first-year Head Coach Hunter Ferrell said, “I think right now as a program we’re currently at a little fork in the road moment for the season where things could turn for the better or for worse. It’s been a frustrating week with how things went on Tuesday [against Eagleville], but I’m proud of the fight tonight. It could have been a lot worse in that we could have just never responded and found a way to lose.”

After taking a 13-10 lead at the end of the opening period, Central Magnet grew its lead to as much as 33-23 with 2:30 left in the first half. Kason Puffer – who finished with a team-high 17 points – netted his sixth two-point field goal of the opening half, and the Vikings seemed to be on the ropes. Instead, Community was able to tread water for the final 150 seconds, scoring a pair of baskets to trim the lead to 33-27 heading into the break.

In the third quarter, the Vikings turned up the heat with their full court pressure. Still trailing, 38-31, with 5:10 left in the period, Community went on a 9-0 run over the next 1:40 to take a two-point lead. 

Josh Powers (14) fires from downtown in Thursday's win over Central Magnet. The senior forward finished with 14 points.

T-G Staff Photo - Noah Maddox

“You’d like to be able to play good defense and not have to press, but I think it was more of an us than it was an opposing team’s thing tonight,” Ferrell said, “It was more so about how I can help create some more energy defensively and get some guys flying around. I think it was a way to do that while also understanding that it fits some of the strengths of our guys.”

After Carter Sage knocked in a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 42-40, Charlie Haskins went on a personal 11-0 run to close out the quarter and give the Vikings a 53-42 lead heading into the final frame.

“He [Charlie Haskins] has been a kid that can always get to the rim, it’s just been about making the right plays, making good decisions, and playing under control. When he plays with the energy and the intensity and the focus that he should play with like he did in the second half, he’s a really special kid. It’s just about trying to get him to play that way all the time.”

Powers opened up the fourth quarter by nailing his first three-pointer of the night. After he split a pair of free throws later on, the senior forward would finish the night with 14 points, the only other Viking to join Haskins in double-figures.

Community’s lead ballooned to as many as 20 points before Central Magnet scored a couple buckets in the final seconds to trim the final margin back down to 15 at the buzzer, 74-59. 

“All we can do is continue to try and get our guys to play the way that we need to play by January and February, and sometimes you need games like this to prove a point,” Ferrell concluded. “We would have loved to play better heading into the break, but at the end of the day, it’s a long season, but you want to be sure that you’re still moving in the right direction in preparation for district play.”