Preston wins physical conference ‘battle’ at Century, despite injury to key starter

POCATELLO — Tensions teetered on the edge throughout the game, as familiar conference foes Century and Preston squared off to open 5A South East Idaho Conference play.

Those tensions approached a boiling point when Century senior Xenphon Flesishmann was called for a technical foul on a physical closeout against Preston sophomore Wayd Bailey early in the fourth quarter. Bailey did not return to the game, and it is feared he will miss additional time, according to head coach Tyler Jones. Preston parents wanted Flesishmann to be ejected from the game — he was not. But he fouled out shortly thereafter, as did Century’s leading scorer, Justus Mangum.

Still, the game hung in the balance at the midway point of the fourth quarter. But Parker Galloway erupted for 12 points in the final period, pushing Preston (12-2, 1-0) across the finish line with a 67-53 win.

After the game, Jones said that the first half was about two “really good” and very familiar teams exchanging metaphorical punches.

“We knew it would be a battle, always is. It’s a tough place to play, tough environment,” Jones said.

As Galloway explained, though, Preston felt it was “our game” when things started running more smoothly in the second half.

“I think we played great,” he told EastIdahoSports.com. “We started off a little rough, but once we came (out in the second half) we really got it going, everyone was hitting, we started to move the ball more and we started picking them apart.”

Despite a sizzling start from Bailey, who scored his team’s first eight points, Preston trailed 14-8 near the midway point of the first quarter. The sophomore point guard finished the first eight-minute period with 11 points, and finally got some support from seniors Tripton Beckstead and Kasen Bryce, as Preston knotted things up with Century (5-8, 0-1), 19-19, at the end of the first.

Preston pulled ahead in the second, but only slightly, taking a 32-26 advantage into halftime.

Jones said that his team used its quick, ball-hawking defense to open things up a bit in the third. But Century, with its only athletic wings, countered with the same approach to keep things close.

Late in the period, Galloway started to take the game over, scoring the final two points of the third as Preston headed to the fourth up 50-42.

Galloway continued his run, scoring Preston’s first seven points of the fourth.

He finished with 17 points — after scoring just three in the first half — to go with 10 rebounds and one steal.

Galloway said after the game that the offense wasn’t designed to go through him in the fourth, but called it “the best feeling ever” that he was able to knock down the big shots when his team trusted him to do so.

“The game got tight, the ball got to me, and I was finding my spots and the ball was going in,” he said.

Jones said that it was good to see “the troops rally” after Bailey went down, adding that Galloway and Beckstead have shown a knack for hitting the big shots all season.

Bailey added one steal and one rebound to his game-high 21 points, while Beckstead contributed 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

Mangum did his best to match Galloway, scoring five of his 19 points in the fourth quarter before fouling out with 3:33 to play. He added a game-high 11 rebounds to go with three steals and one block.

The Diamondbacks also got double-digit scoring efforts from Luke Webb(13) and Adrian Gonzalez (12).

Preston, the reigning 5A state champions, will look to remain on the path to a potential repeat. As Jones explained, though, in order to win at the tournament, they will need to get to it. And that will require them to win a treacherous conference.

“It’s going to be a battle. With three teams and only one bid to state — teams know each other and play each other four times, things get tough,” he said. “Hopefully we can get healthy, get Wayd back for next week, and be ready for Pocatello.”

Bailey, he added, will be taken to the hospital for examination before any timetable for his return is determined.

“He will probably be out a little bit, that’s rough,” the coach said. “He’s such a difference-maker — he can create, he can get to the basket, he can get others involved. He has a complete game and makes everyone around him better. He’s a big part of our team.”

Still, according to Galloway, the Preston locker room was a raucous place after the win.

“It’s loud; it’s crazy; it’s exciting,” he said. “We’re all cheering and clapping, the energy is not going down anytime soon.”

Before Preston hosts Pocatello (6-6, 0-0) next Thursday, they will visit Shelley (4-9, 3-1) this Friday and welcome Bonneville (4-8, 2-3) next Tuesday.

Century will lick its wounds before visiting Pocatello on Friday.