The Salina Central Mustangs dropped both contests on Friday night against the Derby Panthers. Derby entered the night ranked #3 in Class 6A on the girls side and #9 in the boys rankings.

Salina Central will be back home on Tuesday night to host Andover Central in AVCTL-II play.

GIRLS: 6A #3 Derby 60, Salina Central 30

The Lady Mustangs were up against a tall task on Friday night, facing a state-ranked Derby team, complete with McDonald’s All-American and Iowa State commit Addy Brown.

Brown led all scorers with 25 points on the night, as Derby grabbed control of the game from the jump, leading 18-5 at the end of the first quarter, and 33-11 at halftime. The running clock was in affect most of the 4th period, as Derby ran away for a 30-point win.

Central was led in scoring by Elle Denning’s 10 points. Azbey Peckham added nine as well in the loss. Central falls to 8-6 on the season.

Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game: Elle Denning

H&R Block of the Game: Saniya Triplett

BOX SCORE

Salina Central – 5 – 6 – 13 – 6 / 30

6A #3 Derby – 18 – 15 – 19 – 8 / 60

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BOYS: 6A #9 Derby 60, Salina Central 45

The Mustang boys were once again short-handed on Friday, playing without two starters in their lineup, but that didn’t deter them from pushing a top-10 ranked Panther squad to the brink.

Central had a lead as big as eight in the first half, and would be up 23-20 at halftime behind a fantastic start from Dez Gibson and Mason Nemechek offensively.

In the second half, Derby Senior Kaeson Fisher-Brown would catch fire in an unreal way, strapping his teammates to his back and carrying the panthers to a win. Fisher-Brown would make eight three-pointers on the night, shooting 5-5 from deep in the fourth quarter on the way to a 37 point effort in Derby’s 60-45 win.

Fisher-Brown was one of just four Derby players to tally a point in the contest, but he would provide just too much firepower from the outside.

Dez Gibson would lead Central with 12 points. Kamryn Jones would score nine off the bench, while Mason Nemechek would score eight, and both Kaden Snyder and Ethan Waters seven.

Central falls to 4-10 on the year in what is now a losing streak of four-straight.

Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game: Dez Gibson

H&R Block of the Game: Kaden Snyder

BOX SCORE

Salina Central – 11 – 12 – 8 – 14 / 45

6A #9 Derby – 8 – 12 – 17 – 23 / 60