The Hopkinsville Tigers don’t often see a team in this area with the size and athletic ability of Wilson Academy. Those turned out to be the difference Saturday night as the Tigers fell to the Warriors 75-56 in the final game of the 2024 Toyota of Hopkinsville Holiday Hoops Classic.
The Tigers hung right with Wilson Academy throughout the first quarter. The Warriors took a 16-13 lead after one quarter. The Tigers were hanging around with a balanced team effort as six different players scored in the first eight minutes.
The Warrior defense tightened down on the Tigers some in the second quarter. Wilson Academy allowed Hopkinsville just three made field goals in the quarter as the Warrior lead grew to ten points at 29-19 at the half.
James Bradley Jr. had a solid half for Hopkinsville with 6 points.
Wilson Academy came out of the half and hit the Tigers with an 8-0 run to push the lead out to 37-19 and it looked as if the Warriors were about to run off and hide. Step up Jonathan Hart.
Hart buried three 3-pointers and James Bradley Jr. came up with a three-point play and suddenly the lead was down to 13. Wilson Academy pushed the lead back out to 18 and Hart kept heating it up from deep. Two more threes from the Hopkinsville senior and the lead was down to 12 with just over a minute to go in the third.
Wilson Academy got a couple of big three late in the quarter from A.J. Etienne and the Warriors took the lead out to 57-42 heading into the final quarter.
The Tigers were able to hang around through the first half of the final quarter. Then, Wilson Academy went on a 9-1 run to seal the game as they extended a 14 point lead out to 73-51.
Hopkinsville got an outstanding shooting night from Jonathan Hart. Hart hit 6 3-pointers and finished with 19 points. James Bradley Jr. also hit double figures with 15 points. Layton Giltner, who spent the night battling the much bigger inside players from Wilson Academy, added 9 points for the Tigers.
A.J. Etienne led the way for Wilson Academy He hit five shots from behind the arc and ended up with 19 points. Culen Brown had 16 points and Tamiel Green, who was more than a handful for the Tigers down in the paint, added 14 points.
Hopkinsville (1-5) is back in action Tuesday at home hosting Webster County,
