Fayette, Mo. — The Central Methodist men's basketball team delivered an efficient offensive performance Tuesday evening, defeating Hesston College 97–84 inside Puckett Field House. 

The game marks the Eagles' final home game before heading into 2026. Central improves to 10-4 while Hesston drops to 0-16. 

The Eagles were led by a dominant showing by the reigning Heart Offensive Player of the Week, Raphael Gay. The senior from Paris, France, turned in one of the most complete performances of the season, pouring in a game-high 33 points on 12-of-14 shooting, while also going a perfect nine-for-nine from the free-throw line. He controlled the paint on both ends, finishing with 15 rebounds, including six offensive boards, to anchor Central Methodist inside.

Isaiah Reams provided a strong secondary scoring punch, tallying 21 points on seven-of-11 shooting while adding seven rebounds. Tyson Oghene chipped in 17 points, converting eight of nine free throws while dishing out four assists.

Kevin James gave the Eagles valuable bench production with eight points in just 16 minutes, shooting a perfect three-for-three from the field.

As a team, Central Methodist shot 52.5 percent from the floor and an impressive 85.3 percent from the free-throw line (29-of-34). The Eagles also held a significant advantage on the glass, outrebounding Hesston 38–24, which translated into second-chance opportunities and steady control of tempo.

Central is off until the New Year, when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on Grand View University Saturday, Jan. 3 at 4:00 p.m.

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