CHAMPAIGN — The Danville boys’ basketball team had been waiting for Friday night for two months. “We had them marked since they beat us at our place, so this game was very personal,” Danville senior guard Diddy Robinson said. Centennial beat the Vikings 66-61 back on Nov.
26, but Danville returned the favor on Friday in Coleman Carrodine Gym with a 65-53 victory. “I told my guys this was a must-win game,” Danville coach David Gouard said. “They came into our house and got one, so we had to come over here and make sure we get one.
Any win on the road in the Big 12 is big.” The Vikings (7-13) set the tone right from the beginning, and it was all thanks to Robinson. Three minutes into the game, with both teams still feeling each other out, Robinson came away with a steal and took it the other way for an easy basket.
Moments later, another steal and score for Robinson. A few seconds after that, he hit a deep stepback three-pointer to give Danville a 10-6 lead. Robinson had 11 points in the first quarter and went on to score a game-high 23.
Gouard said his job gets a lot easier when Robinson gets into a groove like that, as “I just let him do what he does.” Even Centennial (11-11) coach Roderick Hutchison had to give props to Robinson, adding that he was the difference in the game. “Robinson was the engine to their motor,” Hutchison said.
“We tried to keep him away from the ball as much as possible, but he’s a great guard. He’s a four-year starter, so.
