COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Centennial has a special player in freshman Isaiah Skinn. While the Stars' don't have a tremendous record on paper, they've been highly competitive all season long and that was no different on Thursday. Riding the two-way production of Skinn, the Stars (3-17, 2-11) used an 11-0 game-ending run to shock Mifflin (9-11, 7-7) on the road, 52-49.

The win for Centennial snapped a 14-game losing streak, where five of those losses came by five points or less. Centennial finally got over the hump on Thursday, as Skinn powered the bulk of the run that won the game, taking a key charge and hitting four clutch free throws in crunch time. 

Skinn was absolutely incredible on both ends, finishing with 23 points and five assists. His best impact was on the defensive end where he took three charges, each coming in important moments in the game. The freshman helped the Stars overcome an 8-0 run by Mifflin to start the game, putting together three-straight assists and taking two big charges to trim the deficit to 13-12 after the opening period.

Senior guard Marlin Byron II was strong for Centennial, adding 13 points, while junior forward Henri Young Jr. contributed seven points. While only finishing with five points, junior Ahmed Ayed waited until the most important time to score, hitting a three to trim the 49-41 deficit the Stars faced in the fourth, then grabbing an offensive rebound and putting the ball in the rim to put Centennial up 50-49 with a minute to go.

With the win, Centennial will look to build on that momentum when they take on Bexley at home at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Stars will open up tournament play at Jonathan Alder on Feb. 23 in the sectional semifinals.

For Mifflin, sophomore guard LJ Foster was incredible all game long, finishing with 19 points. Foster has greatly changed his body and game over the last year, going from an undersized big as a freshman to a physical two guard as a sophomore. 

Junior wing Semaj Bryant added 12 points, knocking down two threes. We liked the way junior guard Abdiaziz Mohamed played, finishing with seven points, while senior Josh Allen had two big blocks and four points. 

Mifflin will look to bounce back at home against Lancaster on Feb. 15 before opening up tournament play at Westerville North on Feb. 22. 

Isaiah Skinn (5'10 PG / Centennial / 2025): This is the type of guard that is going to win a ton of basketball games. Skinn is a special lead guard with as good of an IQ that we've seen from a freshman guard since Sean Jones in 2018-19. The freshman dominated Thursday's game in every single facet, leading all players in points, assists and charges taken. Skinn has an incredible hesitation dribble that he uses to create separation. The freshman gets into the lane at will and is a cerebral passer that sees the floor really well and can make plays for others at will. While he had a cold shooting start to the game, Skinn heated up in the second half, knocking down two threes and finding his way to the rim where he drew a lot of contact. This young man has the 'it' factor and is built for the brightest of lights. We were really impressed with his calm demeanor all game long, a sign of a player who knows what he's capable of and expects the type of performances that he had on Thursday out of himself on a consistent basis. While Centennial has struggled, Skinn has flown under the radar in only a handful of games after coming back from seven months of injury recovery. Through his first five games, Skinn has scored 100 points and been the Stars' unquestioned top player. His defensive ability alone would make him one of the best guards in his class, however, his ability to shoot the basketball, control pressure, change speeds and make plays put him at the top of the list. It helps that his father is Ohio State assistant coach Tony Skinn, who spent a long time playing overseas where he is famous for crossing up James Harden in the 2012 Olympics while playing for Nigeria. That bloodline and father-son relationship with a former player and now high-major college coach will help Isaiah Skinn continue to add layers to his game, as this young man will be an absolute star for years to come, no pun intended. 

LJ Foster (6'3 SG / Mifflin / 2024): You have no choice but to love kids like Foster. The hard working sophomore has totally changed his body and game over the last year and leads Mifflin with 14 points per game. More impressive than anything he could ever do on the hardwood, Foster carries a 4.0+ GPA at the prestigious Columbus Alternative High School while taking advanced classes. This kid is going places. He has a strong frame and long wingspan, things that make him a tough cover on the perimeter. Foster is Mifflin's best playmaker, as he loves playing through contact and can make plays for himself and others. He shot the mid-range pull up at a high level on Thursday, while knocking down two threes and maneuvering his way to the rim for scores. Work ethic, intelligence and high character are three of Foster's best traits, qualities that will lead to a prosperous life once his basketball career comes to an end. However, if he keeps improving, Foster will have a chance to play basketball for a long time if he chooses. 

Marlin Byron II (6'0 hybrid guard / Centennial / 2022): Byron is one of the our favorite under the radar guards in the 2022 class. The senior is a physical guard that can make shots off the bounce. In the ball screen game, Byron does a great job of creating space and knocking down jumpers. His broad shoulders and thick frame help him to finish through contact, as Byron does a great job of putting pressure on the defense. Following Thursday's game, Byron received an offer to join the Penn State-DuBois program, a well deserved opportunity for a player that has worked hard to get to this point. 

Abdiaziz "Zi" Mohamed (6'0 hybrid guard / Mifflin / 2023): Mohamed has a game that we really like. The junior guard is a natural scoring threat that plays with a chip on his shoulder. Mohamed loves to attack off the bounce where he can make shots off the dribble. On a Mifflin team that has two seniors that get minutes, Mohamed will be a contributor that the Punchers really lean on next year. If Mohamed and his teammates continue to improve and put hours into their craft, Mifflin will have a chance to compete at the top of the City League North next season with what top powers Beechcroft, Northland and Linden-McKinley lose to graduation. 

Semaj Bryant (6'3 SF / Mifflin / 2023):  Bryant was Foster's running mate in the backcourt last night. The 6-foot-3 wing has a smooth offensive game and a sweet stroke from the perimeter. We saw Bryant for the first time at the 270 Hoops Exposure Series last summer and were excited to get another look at him on Thursday. He hit two threes, got to the rim and was the type of offensive threat that helped Mifflin take pressure off Foster. We look forward to seeing the Punchers in a year, as Mifflin could be a surprise team in the City League North.