In a game played with the intensity of a district championship, the Hopkinsville Tigers made the plays down the stretch to pick up their ninth straight victory with a 60-55 decision over visiting University Heights on Friday night.
The win gives the Tigers the top seed in the 8th-District tournament and provides a leg up in what could turn out to be three meetings this season.
The Blazers have also played well of late and they entered the matchup with the Tigers as winners of four of five, including a five-point victory over Calloway County in their last time out.
UHA started in a frenzy and led 9-2 after Trevonne Wallace scored on a drive to force a Tiger timeout. Hoptown answered with an 8-0 spurt to take its first lead at 10-9 on a layup for KC Cabiness.
Hopkinsville built the lead to five on four occasions in the 2nd quarter, with the last coming after a 3-pointer by Bubba Leavell with 1:55 to play in the half. After a pair of free throws for the Blazers, Leavell capped his eight-point quarter with a corner 3 to hand the Tigers a 34-28 edge at the break.
Quinton Quarles scored seven points and Gavin Grubbs capped a 9-2 run with a layup off a steal to put the Blazers back in front at 37-26. Lemar Northington knocked down a pair of threes in the 3rd and his second gave UHA a four-point edge at 46-42.
The Tigers scored the last six points of the quarter, with Mercer’s layup with :13 left sending them into the final eight minutes with a 48-46 advantage.
Hopkinsville led throughout in the 4th, but the Blazers were within a point at 54-53 with 2:55 to play. Mercer scored on a drive and Cabiness got a bucket in the lane ahead of a putback by Williams for the Tigers’ biggest cushion of the night at seven points with :36 to go. A late technical foul on Hoptown gave Grubbs a pair of free throws, but the Tigers held on for the win.
For the Blazers, Grubbs led all scorers with 25 and Quarles finished with 11. Hoptown had three players in double figures, led by Leavell and Cabiness with 14 each, and Mercer with 12.
Hopkinsville 16 18 14 12 — 60
UHA 15 13 18 9 — 55
Hopkinsville (14-4) — Cabiness 14, Leavell 14, Mercer 12, Williams 8, Manning 6 Gavin 4, White 2
UHA (7-10) — Grubbs 25, Quarles 11, Northington 8, Wallace 7, Brown 3, Hauret 2
