Everyone got their money’s worth Saturday night at Tiger Gym. Derrell Bateman and Jordan Miles each made one of two free throws in the final thirty seconds while K.J. Vaughn came up with a steal as Hopkinsville was looking for a potential game-winning or game-tying shot in the final 6.5 seconds as Christian County picked up a big 62-60 8th District win.
The atmosphere at times Saturday night was electric. With a good crowd in the stands, the two student sections cranked up to full volume and a game where neither team could pull away from the other.
The game started out as a grind-it-out type of contest. Both teams came out playing tight, physical defense, making it hard for the other to get good looks at the basket. Hoptown’s Antonio Williams scored all eight of his team’s points in the opening quarter as the Tigers took an 8-6 lead.
The pace of scoring did not pick up much in the second quarter. Hopkinsville would lead by as many as six, but the Colonels battled back to cut the margin to one at 18-17 at the break. Williams scored all but four of the Tigers’ points in the opening half.
While scoring was not taking place often in the first half, the game did not lack in energy and excitement, and the scoring, well, it came around in a big way in the second half.
Christian County came out and opened the second half on a quick 8-4 spurt to take a 25-22 lead. While Hopkinsville had pretty much contained Derrell Bateman in the first half, the Colonel big man began to ramp it up in the third quarter. The Colonels would lead by as many as seven points in the quarter, as the quarter ended with Christian County up 42-37.
Hopkinsville opened the final quarter with the first five points to even the score at 42-42 and the rest of the quarter was the kind of excitement you want to see when County and Hoptown get together.
The game would be tied six times over the final eight minutes and there would be four lead changes.
With Antonio Williams and KeiMarion Smith leading the way, Hopkinsville made a move to get control of the game in the 4th quarter. A quick 6-2 hit put the Tigers up 52-50 and the momentum felt like it was starting to wear orange and black. But then a Prince came riding in for Christian County, Prince Northington that is.
Northington hit for five quick points in a 7-0 run that put Christian County up 57-52. But then it was Hoptown’s turn to fight back.
The Tigers then outscored the Colonels 8-3 to tie the game at 60-60 inside the final 30 seconds. The Colonels were able to get the two free throws and the big defensive play from Vaughn to hold on for the win.
Derrell Bateman was the leading scorer for Christian County with 21 points, 16 of them coming in the second half of play. Breland Morrison and Jordan Miles added 11 points each.
Hoptown’s Antonio William was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points. KeiMarion Smith was the other Tiger to hit double figures with 12.
Christian County improves to 3-4 on the season.
Hopkinsville drops to 2-4.
CCHS — 6 11 25 20 — 62
HHS — 8 10 19 23 — 60
Christian County – Bateman 21, Miles 11, Morrison 11, Northington 8, Vaughn 5. Sanders 4, Blanton 2,
Hopkinsville – Williams 23, Smith 12, Manning 8, Gavin 8, Mercer 6, Leavell 3
