Wildcat Boys Fall in Season Opener at Milton Tip-Off Tournament

MILTON — The Central Mountain boys basketball team opened its 2025–26 season Friday night at the Milton Tip-Off Tournament, falling 84–49 to Warrior Run in the opening round.

Warrior Run came out firing, putting up 32 first-quarter points to build a commanding lead early. Central Mountain steadied itself as the game went on, outscoring its first-quarter output in each of the remaining periods and showing improved execution after halftime.

Darius Shade led the Wildcats with 13 points, while Noah Wells added 10. Additional scoring came from Calen Hunter (8), Isaiah Dorman (6), Blake Walker (5), Dane Hanna (3), Logan Hanna (2), and Travis Diaz (2).

Warrior Run’s Ethan Balzer paced all scorers with 26 points.

Despite the slow start, head coach Tyler Bardo said he saw encouraging stretches as the team settled in.
“We settled in and competed well in quarters two through four,” Bardo said. “Slow starts have been a concern for us, and there’s a certain level of mental preparation that needs made in order to perform well early. Warrior Run shot very well — we take nothing away from them — but we have standards, and we’ll keep working to meet them.”

Central Mountain — 8, 13, 15, 13 — 49
Warrior Run — 32, 19, 18, 15 — 84