The Michigan High School Athletic Association's Boys Basketball playoffs have finally arrived as schools statewide are primed to perform after last season's postseason was cut short.

Our Game of the Night to takes us back to the scene of our regular season finale just four days ago when the Lakeview Spartans were able to top the Battle Creek Central Bearcats. The two crosstown squads out of the Southwest Michigan Athletic Association played two different games over the past week but the Spartans won both contests by ten points apiece.

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Tuesday's match-up had much more weight as the winner moved on to the Division 1 District Semifinals Thursday in Sturgis, with the top-seeded Gull Lake Blue Devils waiting in the wings.

After Lakeview went out to an early 4-2 lead, Central recovered and eventually took their first lead in the three games between the two clubs, leading 12-6 after the first quarter. The Bearcats would maintain the lead through much of the contest, only to relinquish it early in the fourth quarter.

The teams would go back-and-forth to the buzzer. The Bearcats were playing for the final shot until a double dribble call turned the ball over to Lakeview. Spartans senior forward Cole Einhardt took the pass in the post and had a lefty hook roll off the rim to send the game to overtime.

The Spartans didn't recover as Central would pick up only their second win on the season in a 44-39 overtime slugfest. Bearcats sophomore guard Kierre Young led Central with 11 points, including his third three-pointer on the night in overtime to stretch the lead. Junior guard Melvin Nelson added nine points with key buckets from the free throw line.

Einhardt led all scorers with 14 points in the loss for Lakeview. Junior guard Jerry Olds tallied nine points, all in the second half, to led the Spartans charge back in the second half.

Here are all the scores from Tuesday night's action in the MHSAA Boys Basketball District Quarterfinals from our area -

Division 1 at Sturgis - Battle Creek Central 44, Lakeview 39 - OT (Game at Lakeview)
Division 3 at Centreville - Bronson 57, White Pigeon 54 - OT (Plays Reading Thursday-5:30pm)
Division 3 at Centreville - Union City 52, Quincy 48 - OT (Plays Centreville Thursday-7pm)
Division 4 at Bellevue - St. Philip 55, Calhoun Christian 44 (Plays Bellevue Thursday-7pm)

Michigan High School Basketball Districts - Battle Creek Central at Lakeview

The Battle Creek Central Bearcats squared off against the Lakeview Spartans for the third time in a week. This March 23, 2021, match-up was in the Michigan High School Athletic Association's Division 1 District Quarterfinal with the winner advancing to the District Semifinal at Sturgis against the Gull Lake Blue Devils.

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