Early-Season Thriller: Kalamazoo Central Edges Portage Central 47–46 in Rivalry Showdown

Kalamazoo Central senior Isaiah Theodile throws down a thunderous dunk early in the first half. Picture by Chris Carpenter

Rewind to February 28, 2024: Portage Central and Kalamazoo Central found themselves battling for a district championship. In that game Kalamazoo Central caught fire in the second quarter, helping them bring home the hardware.

Kalmazoo Central Senior Kameron Bean Guarding Portage central Senior Ben Johnson Friday night. Picture By Chris Carpenter

Fast-forward 10 months, and we’ve got a marquee matchup to start the year — and let me tell you, this game was everything I hoped it would be. From the start, Portage Central made a strong effort to double-team Isaiah Theodile. But the Oakland commit couldn’t be stopped, throwing down a few ferocious first-half dunks that electrified the crowd. Portage Central’s Kardi Colbert knocked down some big-time threes to give the Mustangs a 10-point lead with four minutes left in the third. In the end, Kalamazoo Central did what good basketball teams do: they found a way to win. Kalamazoo Central

Isaiah Theodile 14 points

TJ Terrentine 9 points

Jonathan Edwards  8 points

Kam Bean 7 points

Portage Central

Kardi Colbert 17 points

Ben Johnson 10 points

Nolan Bloomquist 5 points

Final: Kalamazoo Central: 47 Portage Central: 46