 Blocks and Cartan matrices under central p-quotients

Let $Z=⟨z⟩\le Z(G)$ have order $p$ and set $t=z-1$. The nilpotent ideal $tkG$ is generated by a central element. If an idempotent lifts a central idempotent of the quotient, its off-diagonal corner satisfies $eA(1-e)\subseteq teA(1-e)$ and therefore is zero. Thus central block idempotents lift centrally and uniquely. A principal indecomposable module is free over $kZ$, and the $p$ factors of its $t$-filtration are all its reduction modulo $t$. Consequently, under the natural indexing of simple modules, $C_G=p{C}_{G/Z}$.