The Central Tigers went 16-10 last season and needed just one more win to get them to the Class 2A State Tournament. Instead, they lost in the area tournament consolation finals to the Hooker Bulldogs — the same school which ended Central’s Cinderella Class A football playoff run in the state quarterfinals on Black Friday of the previous November.
This year, thanks to seven returners back from last season’s squad, there’s no reason to think the Tigers cannot just only knock on the door to state, but knock down the door to “The Big House.”
Key players back are seniors Nathan Vann, Hardy Buzzard, Aidan Sainer and Cole Hol-comb, along with juniors Braxin Goodson, Paitton Merrill and Noah Buzzard.
Fresh off being the lone Tiger cross country runner this fall, senior Kyle Reed is out for basketball this season for coach Caleb Cawhorn.
A key newcomer is former Gans Grizzly Josh Brunk, who is out for the Tigers this season.
Rounding out the roster are juniors Odell Parker and Cale Stewart, sophomores Gavin Randolph, Joe Brooks, Jake Woods and Brycen Chandler-Eisman — who returned from Muldrow — and freshmen Kiefer Bailey, Aiden Cawhorn, Kage Poindexter and Aiden Smith.
The Tigers will get their season off and running at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at Warner.
