Looking to put an end to a five-game skid on Saturday at the Warrior Showcase at Evansville Harrison, the Hopkinsville boys’ basketball team instead paid for a sluggish first half in a 72-53 loss to Evansville Central.
Antonio Williams scored 26 points, including 17 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to help the Tigers avoid a sixth-straight defeat to slip to 6-10 ahead of a matchup with Madisonville-North Hopkins on Tuesday.
DeReion Dudley scored ten first-quarter points for Hopkinsville, but Landyn Richason knocked down a pair of three-pointers and Daveon Smith added six to give Central a 22-15 advantage.
Antonio Williams put up six points in the second quarter, but Artavius Moses’ bucket was the only other points for Hopkinsville. Smith doubled his total with six more points for the Bears, and they led 40-23 at the halftime break.
Williams tossed in 17 of his team-high 26 in the second half but the Tigers couldn’t cut into the Bears’ cushion. Williams also led the way with 12 rebounds to post a double-double, and Dudley finished with 12.
Smith scored eight after the break to finish with a team-high 20 for Central, Zaryen Moore scored 15, and Richason added 12.
Hopkinsville 15 8 15 15 — 53
Evansville Central 22 18 19 13 — 72
Hopkinsville (6-10) — Williams 26, Dudley 12, Moses 6, Leavell 4, Dillard 3, Hart 2
Evansville Central (6-8) — Smith 20, Moore 15, Richason 12, Frank 6, Peoples 6, Hill 5, Arrick 4, Kirchoff 4
