The Hopkins County Central Storm took on the Greenwood High Gators on Saturday afternoon Akridge Shootout at Lyon County. They were looking to bounce back from their loss to Webster, but instead they fell to Greenwood in a close 69-66 game.
The two teams started off the game trading blows, as the first quarter was very back-and-forth. But Central was able to go up 17-15 after one as a result of 11 combined points from Samari Pettus and Devante Jagoe.
Hopkins Central then started out the second with a quick 5-0 run that gave them a seven point lead at a timeout with just over five and a half minutes left.
The Storm still held a small lead with two minutes left, but a pair of threes from Channing Stone and Davonyae Butcher gave the team an eight point lead at the half.
After some back-and-forth to start the third, Central went on a quick 7-0 run to force a timeout by Greenwood. Pettus caught fire in the period, scoring the Storm’s first 11 points, and the first time someone else scored was a layup from Butcher with three minutes left.
The Gators took another timeout with two and a half minutes left down 17, but were then able to go on a 9-1 run to end the third down just nine.
The fourth and final quarter saw the Storm struggle with just 12 points as well as some turnovers. Central led by just three at a timeout with just under two minutes left, and a couple steal-and-scored from Greenwood gave them the 67-66 lead.
Jagoe got fouled on the other end and went to there free throw line with a chance to take back the lead, but he missed both. After that all the Gators had to do was waste the last two seconds off the clock to get the win.
This is now the third time in a row that Greenwood has beaten Hopkins County Central, with the last win the Storm got in the all-time series was back in December of 2008.
Four players got into double-digits for the Storm, and Pettus led all scorers with 19. Butcher also had 18 with three three-pointers, Jagoe had 13, and Stone got to 10.
Hopkins Central will be looking to bounce back in their next game on Monday, February 9, against the Colonels of Henderson County. Their game will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Hopkins County Central High School.
