BEAVERCREEK — As one of only two seniors, Ryan Sedlar has endured the unfamiliar lean time of Beavercreek boys basketball.

Two seasons ago the Beavers won two games. Although competitive last season, they still were 8-13. That’s a big difference from the teams that regularly contended for titles and made deep postseason runs.

That’s what makes this season, including Friday night’s 56-47 defeat of visiting Centerville, special so far.

“We have a chip on our shoulders because of the last couple of years because of what happened,” said Sedlar after the Beavers improved to 2-1.

“We’re going to go out and bring it to ’em and show them that Beavercreek’s back on the map.”

That’s exactly what happened against the Elks, for the first half. Creek raced to an 18-point halftime advantage thanks to Jalen Camper’s rebound bucket at the buzzer.

Centerville closed within seven a couple of times in the final minute, but two clutch free throws by Airius Moore clinched a rare defeat of the Elks.

Moore, Camper, Jarred Waters and Kyle Rader all had 11 points for Beavercreek in an uncanny display of balanced offense. Moore and Waters are sophomores, Camper and Rader juniors.

They’re part of a squad that features seven sophomores, four juniors and those two seniors.

“We’re probably the youngest team in the league but we might have as much experience as anyone,” said third-year coach John Ahrns.

That two-win team was Ahrns’ first.

“I asked Coach (Ed) Zink what we were doing wrong,” Ahrns recalled of that first season, referring to the legendary Beavercreek girls coach.

“He said flat out, ‘Get better players.’ A lot of these guys played as freshmen last year.”

It shows. This season the Beavers lost at loaded Middletown in their opener, then crushed Troy.

The Elks (1-2) were just as balanced, getting a game-high 15 points from Brett Kubaszewski. Will Hobby added 13 and Jackson Replogle 10. Creek twice mounted 20-point leads in the third quarter before Centerville made its run.

Camper thought he had the line on Centerville.

“Last (season) it was eight years before we beat them the second time at home,” he said.

“I forget the days, but I had it all down. It means a lot. Our goal this year is to get a league title and nothing less.”