MADISON COUNTY — The Indians started off a little slow in their 11th Region Tournament first-round game against Franklin County, but the finish was vintage Central as they blew out the Flyers 85-49.

Franklin County came out hot, shooting 42.9 percent in the first quarter to Central’s 26.3 percent, and the Flyers led 15-14 before the Indians scored six of the final seven points to take a 20-16 lead after one quarter.

The Flyers hung tough the first three minutes of the second quarter and tied the game at 25 on two free throws by Rylan Rowe.

But back-to-back three pointers by Ken-Jah Bosley ignited the Indians’ offense while Central’s full-court press forced the Flyers into numerous turnovers which led to a 22-4 run and a 44-29 halftime lead.

“It was just your typical first-round game when you are a prohibitive favorite. Things don’t go well in the first two or three minutes of a ballgame and you see them kind of tighten up a little bit,” Central coach Allen Feldhaus said. “They were hitting some pretty good shots early and we just had to hit a couple of shots. Ken-Jah hit a couple of threes and Quan (Taylor) got a dunk or two of our press and we started turning them over a little bit more and we got back on track.”

The second half was all Central and after another long 19-4 run, the Indians extended their lead to 69-41 at the end of the third quarter.

With Central’s reserves playing most of the fourth quarter, the lead ballooned to as much as 36 points by the end.

Dominique Hawkins led four Indians in double figures with 21 points. He also pulled down six rebounds and had four assists and two steals.

Bosley finished with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Taylor had 17 points, three rebounds and Sam Jones came off the bench to score 12 points and pull down five rebounds.

Demarcus George had six points and six rebounds, George Walker had three points, three rebounds, five assists and four steals, Daniel Parke also had three points, six assists and six steals, while Hunter Stocker added two points and five rebounds and Cameron Thomas had two points.

Central advances to take on Henry Clay, a 63-55 double-overtime winner over Dunbar in Tuesday’s first game, on Friday at 8:15 p.m.

Scott County and Woodford County play in the first semifinal game beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

The atmosphere in the building for the first game Tuesday was electric and extremely loud, and Feldhaus said he expects it to be even more so on Friday.

“I think it will be an even greater atmosphere in here Friday,” Feldhaus said. “It will be two good games, typical 11th Region Tournament semifinal games, all Top 25 teams. It will be fun. It’s what we’ve been waiting for.”

Feldhaus said he thought his team might have been a little flat against Franklin county after beating the Flyers handily earlier in the season, but he expects his team to come out Friday with its game-face on from the get-go.

“Human nature I think takes over there. You’re not going to have the same fire to play this game tonight that we are going to have Friday,” Feldhaus said. “There are not going to be any 20 or 30 point leads anymore. You’ve got to come to play and that’s what we’ve been working for and that is what our schedule hopefully prepared us for.”