The Hopkins Central Storm used a 12-0 run early in the 4th quarter to blow open a close game and pick up a big 7th District win at Caldwell County Tuesday night. The run for the Storm took a two point lead and turned it into 14, and Hopkins Central pulled away to a 88-71 win at the CAB.
The game was a game of runs all night long. It was almost five against one in the first quarter. As Derrin Boyd and Hopkins Central each score 15 points. The Storm opened with a 5-0 start. After Boyd’s second three of the first three minutes, Caldwell County had cut the lead to 8-6. Central then made a run of 7-2 to extend the lead to 15-8. Cue up Derrin Boyd. Boyd then scored the final seven points of the first quarter to tie the game at 15.
In the early part of the second quarter, the two teams went back and forth, with the game tied at 20 and 22, before the Tigers inched their way out to a 4 point lead at 26-22 and 28-24 . The Storm then made the next run of the game, scoring nine unanswered to take a 33-28 lead. Keyairreon Hobgood was a big part of the run, scoring seven of his 21 points during that 52 second stretch.
Caldwell County responded with a 7-0 run of their own to take the lead back at 35-33 . Hopkins Central was able to come back and take a 38-37 lead into the halftime break.
The battle continued into the early part of the 4th quarter, with the teams being tied at 38, 39, 40, and 42. The Storm then made yet another run, this one an 11-0 run, giving Hopkins Central a 53-42 lead. Behind the play of Boyd, Caldwell County finished the 3rd quarter outscoring the Storm 9-2 to cut the lead to just four going into the 4th quarter.
Then came the beginning of the 4th quarter. You may have heard the old phrase “wheels came off the wagon.” Well, all four came off in one big bang for the Tigers at the beginning of the final quarter. After a basket by Jamarius Blane cut the Hopkins Central lead to just two at 55-53, the Storm hit the Tigers with a 12-0 run. Again, Hobgood played a big role in the spurt, scoring seven points, the last two of which came on a technical foul against Caldwell County.
After the run, Caldwell County was able to get no closer than 9 points the rest of the way. Tiger turnovers against Hopkins Central’s pressure defense played a big part in the Storm being able to pull away late
Derrin Boyd had another big night for Caldwell County, coming up with 32 points. John Davis added 13, while Cayden Fraliex had 11. Tylan Mann led the way for Hopkins Central with 23, Hobgood added 21, and Sam Almon scored 15, including three 3-pointers.
The loss drops Caldwell County to 9-11 overall, and 1-2 in the 7th District. Hopkins Central improves to 12-8, and 3-2 in district play.
