For three quarters on Saturday, the Hopkinsville boys’ basketball team looked set to complete a season sweep of visiting Owensboro. But without the services of four players, the Tigers wore down and fell victim to a late Red Devil three-pointer in a 67-66 defeat.
The loss is the third in four games for the injury-hit Tigers, leaving them at 8-14 with a visit from Northwest, TN on Tuesday.
Bubba Leavell had six early points for Hoptown, and his pull-up jumper made it 12-6 midway through the opening frame. Kenyata Carbon answered with six for the Red Devils to cut the lead to a basket after the first quarter.
Leavell’s second three-pointer of the game put the Tigers up ten, followed by six-straight points for Antonio Williams to stretch it to 34-20 just before halftime.
Hopkinsville was in control through most of the third quarter, leading by as many as 16. However, Owensboro cut it to 48-41 after a three-pointer by Jonathan Moss, and were within eight points with a quarter to play.
The Red Devils used a 12-2 run to surge in front at 54-52 after a pair of free throws by Carbon with 5:40 left to play. The game was tied six times the rest of the way before Leavell knocked down two from the free-throw line to put the Tigers up a bucket with :14 to go.
But Owensboro had the final say on a corner three-pointer by Moss. After a time out, Hoptown’ KeiMarion Smith had a look at a three from the wing, but it bounced off at the buzzer.
Leavell finished with a game-high 25, followed by Williams with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Manning just missed a double-double with seven points and ten boards.
Carbon led the Red Devils with 22, Jiairius Webb scored 13, and Moss finished with 11.
Owensboro 12 10 20 25 — 67
Hopkinsville 14 22 14 16 — 66
Owensboro (13-7) — Carbon 22, Webb 13, Moss 11, Powell 7, Johnson 4, Pendleton 4, Taylor 4, Mitchell 2
Hopkinsville (8-14) — Leavell 25, Williams 18, Manning 7, Smith 7, Johnson 6, Adams 3
