While the Heritage Christian Academy soccer team dipped its toe into KHSAA play on the way to a KCAA state championship in the fall, the boys’ basketball team took a different approach on Monday.
The Warriors instead jumped straight into the deep end with a trip to Madisonville-North Hopkins to face last season’s 2nd-Region runner-up in both teams’ regular-season opener.
HCA held its own early on behind 21 points from Carlos Robles, but the Maroons’ depth and relentless pressure wore the Warriors down in a 96-43 loss.
The Maroons jumped out to a 6-0 lead and were ahead 12-4 after Kale Gaither knocked down a 3-pointer with just under five minutes to play in the 1st quarter. A bucket by Triston Folz and a steal and score by Robles had HCA within six points with seconds left, but a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Gaither capped his 13-point quarter and gave Madisonville a 19-10 advantage.
An 11-3 run to start the 2nd put the Maroons in control and they stretched the margin to 20 points at 36-16 after Destin Cheirs scored down low with 3:30 to play in the half. Robles scored the last of his eight 2nd-quarter points on a layup before David Wills drilled 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to further cut into the lead.
However, the Maroons scored the last six, including a bucket by Danye Frazier to cap his 12-point quarter, and Madisonville doubled up the Warriors 48-24 at the break.
Folz had the hot hand for the Warriors with eight points in the 3rd, but the Maroons got a pair of 3-pointers from Landon Cline and continued to pull away. Jackson Hill hit a 3 and followed with a layup to trigger the running clock in the final seconds of the quarter, and Madisonville led 75-39 going to the 4th.
The weary Warriors were held to four points over the last eight minutes, while Maverick Peyton scored 10 points off the bench for the Maroons.
Robles’ 21 led all scorers, with Folz also reaching double-figures for the Warriors with 10.
For the Maroons, Gaither finished with 20, Frazier had 12, and Maverick Peyton scored 10.
Heritage Christian heads to Tennessee on Tuesday to face Montgomery Central. Madisonville returns to its home floor on Friday for a visit from University Heights.
Madisonville 19 29 27 21 — 96
Heritage Christian 10 14 15 4 — 43
Madisonville (1-0) — Gaither 20, Frazier 12, M Peyton 10, Cline 8, Tow 8, Hill 7, Gaines 6, Martin 4, McAdoo 4, N Peyton 4, Price 4, Rogers 4, Carney 3, Cheirs 2
Heritage Christian (0-1) — Robles 21, Folz 10, Wills 8, Powell 2, Yates 2
