Despite four three-pointers from sophomore MaKaya Payton on Saturday, the Hopkinsville girls’ basketball team couldn’t overcome 32 points for Grayson County’s Sydney Perkins in a 55-48 loss to the visiting Lady Cougars. Grayson County won for the third time in a row and fifth time in six outings to improve to 10-6.
Payton and Perkins waged a battle from behind the arc in the first half, with Grayson County leading 15-12 after the first quarter behind a trio of three-pointers from Perkins. Payton knocked down two from three-point range on the way to eight first-quarter points, and matched that output in the second frame, but Perkins was on target for three more triples in the second quarter to knot the game at 28-28 at the halftime break.
Kahtahvia Fleming carried the Lady Tigers in the third with ten points, and Hopkinsville led 39-37 with a quarter to play. Shiyah Forte scored five in the fourth for Hoptown but left six points at the free-throw line. Fleming was 2/6 from the line down the stretch and the Lady Tigers were held to nine points, allowing Grayson to outscore them by nine to secure the victory.
Payton’s 18 points led the Lady Tigers, but she was held scoreless in the second half. Forte and Fleming both finished with 12, while Alicia Davis only managed three after coming into the contest averaging 12 points per game.
Perkins led all scorers with 32, knocking down eight three pointers and posting ten of Grayson’s 18 fourth-quarter points. Breigh Jones was the only other Lady Cougar to reach double digits with ten.
Hopkinsville slipped to 4-7 with its sixth loss in seven games ahead of a trip to Henderson County on Monday.
Grayson County 15 13 9 18 — 55
Hopkinsville 12 16 11 9 — 48
Grayson County (10-6) — Perkins 32, Jones 10, Blanton 7, Jennings 4, Narvaez 2, VanMeter 2
Hopkinsville (4-7) — Payton 18, Fleming 12, Forte 9, Davis 3, Allensworth 2, Murray 2
