The Madisonville-North Hopkins streak is still intact.
The Maroons won the 7th District basketball championship for the 13th straight year, running past Hopkins County Central 79-55 Friday night in Princeton.
Kale Gaither scored 20 of his game-high 34 points in the first half to help Madisonville build a 40-20 halftime advantage.
The Maroons (22-8) went up by as much as 30 points in the third period before taking a 63-35 lead to the fourth quarter.
Hopkins Central (14-12) was able to whittle that lead down to 14 in the final frame, but could get no closer as Madisonville extended the final margin back out to 24 points.
Ashton Gaines added 18 points for Madisonville, which will host a first-round game in the 2nd Region Tournament Tuesday night as a district champion.
Hopkins Central was led by Trevor Weldon’s 19 points. Marcus Eaves had 16 and Wesley Morris 10 for the Storm, which will go on the road for an opening-round game in the regional tourney on Tuesday.
Hopkins Central was the last school besides Madisonville to win the district championship — in 2009.
The Maroons have won all three matchups with the Storm this season.
Hopkins Central 15 5 15 20 — 55
Madisonville-NH 22 18 23 16 — 79
Hopkins County Central (14-12) — Weldon 19, Eaves 16, Morris 10, Skeen 6, Hall 4.
Madisonville-North Hopkins (22-8) — Gaither 34, Gaines 18, McAdoo 9, Tow 6, Frazier 4, Martin 3, Butler 3, M. Peyton 2.
