Despite only returning a single starter from last season’s 7-5 squad, the Hopkinsville boys’ basketball team looked like a well-oiled machine in a 93-38 blowout of hosts Livingston Central on Tuesday.
First-year coach Anthony Babb’s tenure got off to an auspicious start as the Tigers led 21-6 after the 1st quarter. The Tigers harried the Cardinals all over the court while DeBryan Johnson hit a pair of 3-pointers and Xavier Dowlen scored eight points to deliver the early knockout punch.
Daisjaun Mercer came off the bench to score 10 points in the 2nd quarter, with Bubba Leavell and Isaiah Manning combining for 11 to help fuel the rout.
Max Downey tried to shoulder the scoring load for the Cardinals with six 2nd-quarter points, but they were outscored 30-8 in the frame for a 51-14 halftime score.
Leavell kept the hot hand with seven more points in the 3rd, and KC Cabiness scored eight, to stretch the margin to 50 with a quarter to play. KeiMarion Smith chipped in nine points for the Tigers over the final eight minutes.
Hopkinsville will wait a week to return to the court when they host Barren County on December 7th.
Livingston Central will open 5th-District play with a visit from Crittenden County on Thursday.
