Whether it was the playing three games in 48 hours, the close proximity of Christmas Day, or some other holiday season bugaboo, the Hopkinsville Tigers just never appeared to get up to speed Friday afternoon. Hoptown fell behind Owensboro Catholic early and never was able to chase the Aces down, falling 78-60 in the final game of the First United Bank Holiday Classic at Madisonville-North Hopkins.
The Aces put the clamps on Antonio Williams for the first eight minutes of the contest. The Hopkinsville big man, who hit for 45 earlier in the event, was held scoreless in the opening quarter as Owensboro Catholic took an 18-11 lead. Deavery Ramey kept the Tigers close, knocking down three shots from behind the arc for his 9 first-quarter points.
Williams got going in the second quarter for the Tigers, putting six points on the board, but the Aces defense did not allow Hopkinsville much else. On the other end, the Owensboro Catholic offense was very efficient and effective. Five different Aces scored in the second as the lead grew to 33-21 at the half.
A three-point barrage from Tutt Carrico, Luke Beickman, and Waryn Ebelhar helped the Aces to blow the game open in the third quarter. Despite another big quarter from Hoptown’s Antonio Williams, Catholic was able to extend the lead to 56-36 heading into the final eight minutes.
While the Tigers have shown over the past couple of seasons that they can be as explosive as anyone when they get rolling, it just never happened for Hopkinsville on this Friday. The Tigers would get within 13 points on a couple of occasions in the final quarter, but that would be as close as they could get.
Antonio Williams was the leading scorer for Hopkinsville with 22 points. Deavery Ramey gave a big performance with 15 points. James Bradley just missed a double-digit game with 9 points.
O-Cath’s Luke Beickman led all scorers in the game with 24 points. Tutt Carrico, who put on a show in the Class 2A football championship game added 18 points. Waryn Ebelhar also had double figures with 14 points.
Hopkinsville (5-5) is now off until December 27 when the Tigers head off to the City of Middletown Holiday Classic.
HHS — 11 10 15 24 – 60
OCHS — 18 15 23 22 – 78
Hopkinsville – Williams 22, Ramey 15, Bradley 9, Dudley 4, Hart 3, Dillard 3, Leavell 2,
Owensboro Catholic – Beickman 24, T. Carrico 18, Ebelhar 14, Frick 6, Smith 6, Carothers 4, Murphy 4, Hagan 2
