The MCAC pre-season poll listed the Central Lakes College Raiders as the favorite to win the Northern Division.
The Raiders are proving that prediction to be a good one as they hit the century mark for the third time this season and won their fourth straight game with a 110-66 win over Hibbing Saturday, Jan. 26 in Brainerd.
Tyree'on Johnson and Gavin Smith each scored 19 points and Josh Arnold completed a solid week of filling in for Chris Buckley, who has been ill, with 18 points, four steals, and three assists.
Along with Smith, Kelvin Harris gave the Raiders valuable minutes off the bench with 14 points and five rebounds.
"This week has been really good and the reason is that we are starting to see this team come together," said CLC head coach Jim Russell. "We have won this week without Chris, one of our leaders and a starter, and with guys coming off the bench like Kelvin and Gavin, just little things that are starting to really add up. I told the guys it doesn't matter who we are playing we just need to continue to get better and better and prepare ourselves."
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The Raiders trailed early in Saturday's game against a Cardinals team that held a 1-6 division record coming into the game, but things turned the Raiders way as they took a 53-34 lead into halftime.
"Today, the guys didn't care who they were guarding. The just scrambled and trapped and made the game very difficult for Hibbing and they had a lot of turnovers," Russell said. "We shut them down in the second half and I am sure they are not used to playing at that fast a pace."
The Cardinals may also not be used to the opposing team shooting 50 percent, which is what CLC finished with. The Raiders also held a 72-24 advantage on points in the paint, and a 42-4 edge in points off of turnovers.
Malik Kelly finished with six points, two steals, five rebounds and six assists. AJ Ray tallied 15 points in 23 minutes of action.
"Coach always stresses with us to never look at the other team's record because everyone wants a part of us because we were ranked No. 1 in our division at the start of the year," Ray said. "We just go out and worry about our game."
The Raiders won the bench-scoring battle by a 44-13 margin.
"Overall, with Chris being out, I think our bench stepped up a lot," Ray said. "I feel like whenever coach called on them they were ready to go.
"Our mindset is to definitely defend our home court. Our fans are going to come out and we love putting on a show and doing that."
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Russell also had an appreciation for his bench.
"There are couple of things that you look for from your bench and that is are they threats?" Russell said. "And in Kelvin and Gavin, they give us that. And the second thing you are looking for is energy and they have a lot of that. It's always going to be effective and will give us a lift."
With the first half of division play completed, the Raiders stand at 7-1, one game ahead of Rainy River and Mesabi, two teams they defeated in the first half of the season.
"We have goals and the team knows what they are, but is also fun when you are winning," Russell said. "That does a lot. We have good leaders and you can add Dylan (McLain), who is a sophomore. Those guys understand what we are trying to accomplish and they know what happened last year (a first-round playoff loss) and they don't want that to happen this year."
Hibbing 34 32-66
Central Lakes 53 57-110
HIBBING
Emmanuel Jones 25, Michael Rhodes 8, Shaquille Hopkins 4, Jaylen Williams 6, David Faitha 8, Cole Mammenga 6, Carson Debois 2, Yazniel Ojeda 1, Jake Edwards 6. FG 19-52 (37 percent), FT 21-30 (70 percent). 3-point 7-22 (32 percent).
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CENTRAL LAKES
Josh Arnold 18, Malik Kelly 6, Arrion Curothers 4, Jai'Onn Harlin 3, Gavin Smith 19, Kelvin Harris 14, Al-Jureau Ray 15, Tyree'on Johnson 19, Shamar Hill 2, Avis Gilbert 2, Brandon Burggraff 8. FG 44-88 (50 percent), FT 14-25 (56 percent). 3-point 8-28 (29 percent). Division: 7-1. Overall: 14-5. Next: hosts Northland 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30.
