Brendan Phillips left his mark on Golden Eagles Arena in his final game with Aberdeen Central Friday night.

The senior finished with 27 points in a 75-54 non-conference boys’ basketball setback to Sioux Falls Roosevelt.

The senior standout kept the Golden Eagles in the game with 25 of the team’s 31 first-half points.

Despite Central being out of playoff contention, that didn’t affect the approach by the Golden Eagles.

“What a start by Brendan, by everybody. We made plays and they played hard,” said Central coach Brent Norberg. “You always wonder what they’re gonna do when they don’t have anything to play for. And they came out and played hard, and a lot of credit to them.”

Phillips had a stellar start in his final appearance in his high school career. He scored 17 of Central’s 19 points in the first quarter.

“They were in zone and I was able to find the open spots,” Phillips said. “I was shooting the ball well.”

The other two points of the first quarter came from Christian Palmer, who finished with nine on the night.

“I thought Chris made a lot of good opportunities, had some good shots. Made a couple plays defensively, too,” Norberg said. “That was great to see him, because he’s been up and down. What a selfless guy.”

With it being the final game of the year, the Golden Eagles started all four seniors: Phillips, Palmer, Colby Dauwen, and Jacob Weishaar.

“It’s fun to start them, but then it’s also fun to start them and have them all be productive,” said Norberg. “It’s always a different lineup when you do that than we’re used to, but they were all productive.”

Dauwen accounted for four points and five assists, with Jacob Weishaar contributing nine points, two steals and two blocks, scoring six points in the final quarter of his high school career.

“It was pretty good. I mean I usually score the most in the fourth quarter, so I felt good,” said Weishaar. “It was sad walking off the court for the last time. Seeing everyone, all the teammates that we’re leaving. Not ready for it I guess.”

Going into the second quarter, the Golden Eagles were leading 19-13, but a switch in defenses from Jefferson stumped the Central offense for the rest of the game. The Jefferson defense put pressure on Phillips to hopefully slow him down.

“It’s hard when you go through a non-scoring lull. They went to that two-three zone and they just kind of sat on Brendan’s side and they’re long and lanky and very quick up top,” said Norberg. “It’s just we couldn’t get anything going. But they kept playing hard.”

Phillips noticed the change in defense.

“They changed it up in the second half and then we just couldn’t really score much so it was tough,” said Phillips. “They were face guarding me and then I couldn’t get the ball to distribute to other guys like I normally do. And I couldn’t get the ball to drive the attention to get other guys open.”

With Aberdeen Central holding a one-point lead going into the second half, the size and athleticism of Jefferson proved to be too much late in the game.

“They’re not just 6-6, but 6-6 225-230 (pounds) which makes it a lot tougher,” Norberg said. “You could say block them out and they’re looking at me like ‘I am, I’m just getting rooted out,’ so what do you do?” Norberg said.

With a 13-point lead for Sioux Falls Jefferson going into the fourth, and the game getting further and further away from the Golden Eagles, they did not quit, something they showed all season.

“But they kept playing hard. Whatever I told them, try to press, try to do anything they would do it. And they’ve always done that,” said Norberg. “That’s why it’s so hard to watch them not be successful, because it’d be different if they’re a bunch of selfish guys that wouldn’t do anything you ask them to do, but they’re not.”

With the final score not being what they had hoped, Phillips is happy with the way his career played out.

“Obviously, I enjoyed it. I’m sad,” said Phillips. “Gotta look back on it, be happy that you lived it, not sad that it’s over.”

SIOUX FALLS JEFFERSON (9-10): Jase Unzen 6 0-0 14, Kuai Mayen 3 0-0 8, Colby Nuttbrock 1 4-4 6, Mason Payne 6 0-1 12, Braylen Yellow Bird 1 0-0 2, Landon Gross 1 0-0 2, Kuek Kuek 5 4-4 15, Ethan Swenson 2 0-0 4, Edward Whiting 5 0-0 10, Beau Koener 1 0-0 2. Totals 31 8-11 75.

ABERDEEN CENTRAL (3-16): Brendan Phillips 11 2-3 27, Christian Palmer 4 0-0 9, Colby Dauwen 2 0-0 4, Jacob Weishaar 4 0-0 9, Turner Bergan 1 0-0 3, Jack Bertsch 1 0-0 2. Totals 23 2-3 54.

Sioux Falls Jefferson 13 30 58 75

Aberdeen Central 19 31 46 54

3-point field goals – Unzen 2, Mayen 2, Kuek; Phillips 3, Palmer, Weishaar, Bergan. Total fouls – Sioux Jefferson 8; Aberdeen Central 12. Rebounds – Sioux Falls Jefferson 38 (Whiting 10); Aberdeen Central 20 (Michael Dutenhoffer 4). Turnovers – Sioux Falls Jefferson 13; Aberdeen Central 14. Assists – Sioux Falls Jefferson 12 (Unzen 5); Aberdeen Central 16 (Dutenhoffer 6). Steals – Sioux Falls Jefferson 10 (Unzen 5); Aberdeen Central 3 (Weishaar 2). Blocks – Sioux Falls Jefferson 1 (Payne 1); Aberdeen Central 3 (Weishaar 2).