The Hopkins County Central boys’ basketball team built an early double-digit lead and cruised to a third straight win on Friday with an 87-67 decision over visiting Livingston Central.
DeVonyae Butcher dropped nine first-quarter points and Lake Sumner connected on a pair of three-pointers to power the Storm to a 25-10 advantage.
Channing Stone and Karon Hopson combined for 13 of Hopkins Central’s 23 points in the second, and the Storm took a commanding 48-30 halftime lead.
Livingston Central cut into the margin behind eight points from Avery Zaim in the third quarter, but Butcher scored seven and the Storm maintained a 13-point cushion with a quarter to play.
Cohl Hoard scored five and Channing Stone and Riley Dunlap combined for eight points in the fourth to help the Storm put the game away.
Butcher finished with a game-high 24, Stone had 15, Hopson scored 13, and Hoard also reached double figures with 11.
Bryson Walker and Jase Paris led the Cardinals with 15 points each, and Zaim and Brady Stone finished with 12.
The Storm moved to 10-12 ahead of a visit from Hopkinsville on Saturday. Livingston Central saw a two-game win streak come to an end to slip to 8-15.
Livingston Central 10 20 23 14 — 67
Hopkins Central 25 23 18 21 — 87
Livingston Central (8-15) — Paris 15, Walker 15, Stone 12, Zaim 12, Hosick 6, Garner 3, Gairy 2
Hopkins Central (10-12) — DeVonyae Butcher 24, Stone 15, Hopson 13, L. Sumner 8, Gunn 6, Dunlap 4, B. Sumner 4, Deontay Butcher 2, McDaniel 2, Stephens 2
