By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
MORTONS GAP -- Tensions could not rise any higher during Friday night's Hopkins County Central and Webster County boys basketball match-up as a crowded Storm Gym featured two teams locked in an intensely heated game.
Central (11-5) trailed the first 29 minutes of play and fell behind by as many as 12 points, but a tenacious fourth-quarter effort proved just enough to outlast the visiting Trojans (7-8) 51-46.
Both teams entered the game's final minute tied 45 all. That's when Storm guard Josh Riley provided the eventual game-winning shot.
Junior Je'Vonte Hughes drove the lane and sent a floater sailing to the basket, but missed. Dan Croft's tip bounced off the rim and then Riley crashed the boards from the left side, jumped, tipped the ball toward the bucket and converted on the team's third chance.
The Storm controlled the ball after a foul on the Trojans during a Webster in-bounds attempt. Hughes and teammate Chuck Jones each sank a pair of free-throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
In the first half, Webster appeared poised for a win in a low-scoring, slow-tempo game.
The Trojans jumped out to an early 12-2 lead while the Storm struggled with their shot selection and labored for second chances on the offensive end.
Central (11-5) trailed the first 29 minutes of play and fell behind by as many as 12 points, but a tenacious fourth-quarter effort proved just enough to outlast the visiting Trojans (7-8) 51-46.
Both teams entered the game's final minute tied 45 all. That's when Storm guard Josh Riley provided the eventual game-winning shot.
Junior Je'Vonte Hughes drove the lane and sent a floater sailing to the basket, but missed. Dan Croft's tip bounced off the rim and then Riley crashed the boards from the left side, jumped, tipped the ball toward the bucket and converted on the team's third chance.
The Storm controlled the ball after a foul on the Trojans during a Webster in-bounds attempt. Hughes and teammate Chuck Jones each sank a pair of free-throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
In the first half, Webster appeared poised for a win in a low-scoring, slow-tempo game.
The Trojans jumped out to an early 12-2 lead while the Storm struggled with their shot selection and labored for second chances on the offensive end.
Central cut the deficit to four at the end of the first quarter, but Webster used another run in the second quarter to increase its lead back to double-digits. The Trojan defense also helped to stifle the Storm by hustling back in transition and preventing Central from any fast-break points. By halftime the Trojans led 26-17.
Webster maintained an eight-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter, but that's when Hughes propelled Central for a comeback. Hughes scored nine straight points for the Storm, including back-to-back three-point attempts to pull his team within one at 41-40 with 6:32 remaining.
Storm and Trojans fans yelled and jumped throughout the rest of the quarter as each team's players scrambled to the floor for loose balls, battled for rebounds and created shots.
With 5:49 left, a scrum developed on the Webster offensive end of the floor and several players from each team dove to the floor to fight for the ball. Central eventually picked up the loose ball and passed ahead to Croft who was fouled at the opposite end of the court.
Beneath the pile, Webster's LaBrice Williams lay on the court clutching his arm in pain. Williams , the team's leading scorer, left the game and did not return.
Faced to stave off the Storm without its go-to offensive threat, Webster struggled to find a rhythm and scored just five points from that mark in the game.
Down 44-41, Central made its move with three minutes left in the game. Croft sank a bucket and stepped to the line to finish off a three-point play. His free-throw missed, but the ball eventually landed in teammate Nikee Caldwell's hands. Caldwell corralled the board and converted on the stick back to go ahead 45-44.
Webster later tied the game with 1:03 on a Logan Stull free-throw. Stull fouled out shortly later and the Trojans lost their long-range shooter.
Riley's tip combined with Hughes and Jones' free-throws provided the difference.
WCHS (7-8) 14 12 13 7 - 46
HCCHS (11-5) 10 7 14 20 - 51
WCHS: James Winstead 14, LaBrice Williams 9, David Stubblefield 8, Logan Stull 8, Drew Dement 7
HCCHS: Chuck Jones 18, Je'Vonte Hughes 17, Josh Riley 4, Cameron Tabor 4, Nikee Caldwell 3, Corey Coble 3, Dan Croft 2
Thursday's action
The Hopkins County Central boys basketball team (10-5) took to the road on Thursday evening for the first time of the new year and returned with a 72-43 win at McLean County (3-10).
The victory marked the Storm's third in a row as Central remains undefeated (3-0) in 2009.
Central held a slim 25-21 advantage at halftime, but a decisive 27-3 run during the third quarter broke the game wide open. By game's end, three Storm ballers finished with double-digits in points.
Dan Croft led the way with 16 points. Guard Je'Vonte Hughes followed with 15 and Chuck Jones ended his night with 13. In addition to their scoring efforts, Croft and Jones each grabbed eight rebounds.
Nikee Caldwell (nine rebounds), Cameron Tabor (seven) and Corey Coble (seven) also showed their prowess underneath the basket. Caldwell and Coble also combined for 16 assists on the evening.
Central returns to action at 7:30 p.m. today against Webster County at Storm Gym.
HCCHS (10-5) 15 10 27 20 - 72
MCHS (3-10) 6 15 3 19 - 43
HCCHS: Dan Croft 16, Je'Vonte Hughes 15, Chuck Jones 13, Josh Riley 8, Nikee Caldwell 7, Cameron Tabor 7, Corey Coble 4, Connor Moore 2
Webster maintained an eight-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter, but that's when Hughes propelled Central for a comeback. Hughes scored nine straight points for the Storm, including back-to-back three-point attempts to pull his team within one at 41-40 with 6:32 remaining.
Storm and Trojans fans yelled and jumped throughout the rest of the quarter as each team's players scrambled to the floor for loose balls, battled for rebounds and created shots.
With 5:49 left, a scrum developed on the Webster offensive end of the floor and several players from each team dove to the floor to fight for the ball. Central eventually picked up the loose ball and passed ahead to Croft who was fouled at the opposite end of the court.
Beneath the pile, Webster's LaBrice Williams lay on the court clutching his arm in pain. Williams , the team's leading scorer, left the game and did not return.
Faced to stave off the Storm without its go-to offensive threat, Webster struggled to find a rhythm and scored just five points from that mark in the game.
Down 44-41, Central made its move with three minutes left in the game. Croft sank a bucket and stepped to the line to finish off a three-point play. His free-throw missed, but the ball eventually landed in teammate Nikee Caldwell's hands. Caldwell corralled the board and converted on the stick back to go ahead 45-44.
Webster later tied the game with 1:03 on a Logan Stull free-throw. Stull fouled out shortly later and the Trojans lost their long-range shooter.
Riley's tip combined with Hughes and Jones' free-throws provided the difference.
WCHS (7-8) 14 12 13 7 - 46
HCCHS (11-5) 10 7 14 20 - 51
WCHS: James Winstead 14, LaBrice Williams 9, David Stubblefield 8, Logan Stull 8, Drew Dement 7
HCCHS: Chuck Jones 18, Je'Vonte Hughes 17, Josh Riley 4, Cameron Tabor 4, Nikee Caldwell 3, Corey Coble 3, Dan Croft 2
Thursday's action
The Hopkins County Central boys basketball team (10-5) took to the road on Thursday evening for the first time of the new year and returned with a 72-43 win at McLean County (3-10).
The victory marked the Storm's third in a row as Central remains undefeated (3-0) in 2009.
Central held a slim 25-21 advantage at halftime, but a decisive 27-3 run during the third quarter broke the game wide open. By game's end, three Storm ballers finished with double-digits in points.
Dan Croft led the way with 16 points. Guard Je'Vonte Hughes followed with 15 and Chuck Jones ended his night with 13. In addition to their scoring efforts, Croft and Jones each grabbed eight rebounds.
Nikee Caldwell (nine rebounds), Cameron Tabor (seven) and Corey Coble (seven) also showed their prowess underneath the basket. Caldwell and Coble also combined for 16 assists on the evening.
Central returns to action at 7:30 p.m. today against Webster County at Storm Gym.
HCCHS (10-5) 15 10 27 20 - 72
MCHS (3-10) 6 15 3 19 - 43
HCCHS: Dan Croft 16, Je'Vonte Hughes 15, Chuck Jones 13, Josh Riley 8, Nikee Caldwell 7, Cameron Tabor 7, Corey Coble 4, Connor Moore 2
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