Going into their matchup against one another on Thursday night, the University Heights Blazers had a losing streak, and the Hopkinsville Tigers had a winning streak. Both of those streaks continued, as the Tigers took advantage of their home floor and won 72-67.
UHA’s zone defense was able to slow down Hopkinsville to start, and it caused the Blazers to take a 15-7 lead. The Tigers’ Jonovan Leavell got a couple of scores including one off of a steal to cut the lead to four, but UHA’s Kayn Simmons made a tough layup at the end of the quarter to keep it 17-11.
Hopkinsville got out to a 12-0 run to start the second, including a pair of Leavell threes and a floater from TaShaun Quarles gave the Tigers the lead. The run was finally ended by a tough layup from UHA’s KeShawn Moore, but Leavell was able to make another three to keep the lead at 11.
The Blazers were able to put together a few unanswered buckets, and then the quarter was ended with some back and forth from beyond the arc. This led to the Tigers taking a 33-27 lead into the halftime break.
University Heights was the one who had a good start to a quarter in the third, and they were able to take the lead with a Moore free throw. After a timeout that saw the Blazers up 40-37, it was Hopkinsville’s turn to go on a run.
Leavell continued his hot shooting from long range and made four shots from beyond the arc after that timeout in the last four minutes of the third. This led to the Tigers taking the lead and going into the fourth and final quarter up 55-48.
Hopkinsville was then able to extend that lead to 59-50, but a few UHA buckets cut it to four at a timeout. The Tigers then went on an 8-2 after that to force another time and secure their lead a bit more. But the Blazers refused to go away.
After a few more minutes, UHA’s Nash McAfee made back-to-back threes to cut the lead to just two points. The lead was then at four after a few more traded buckets between the two teams, but a James Bradley Jr. free throw and a costly turnover by the Blazers sealed the deal and gave the Tigers a 72-67 victory.
This is now the second straight time that Hopkinsville has gotten the better of UHA, with the Blazers having won both of the matchups between the two teams in 2024.
Leavell led the way for the Tigers in scoring with 31 points, and he did so with a scorching seven three-pointers coming in the second and third quarters. Bradley finished with 15, and Quarles and Jayon Bass also scored 10 apiece.
The Blazers’ leading scorer was Simmons with 21, 12 of those coming in the first half. Moore, McAfee, and Hayden Hunt were all also able to get into double-digits with 14,13, and 11.
UHA will be looking to snap their three-game losing streak on Saturday, January 17, against the McCracken County Mustangs. That game is scheduled to tip off at 3:30 p.m. at McCracken County High School.
As for the Tigers, their goal will be to extend their win streak to six games in their next one against Evansville FJ Reitz on the road on Friday, January 16. Their game will begin at 6:30 p.m.
