PEARCY -- Mistakes cost the Centerpoint senior high boys' basketball team dearly in the first and third quarters during the third place game of the Kameron Hale Invitational at Lake Hamilton Wolf Arena Saturday as the Knights were undone by their rivals from Kirby.
Centerpoint (5-5) fought back from a 12-1 deficit in the first quarter to exit the opening frame trailing just 14-9 Saturday in Lake Hamilton Wolf Arena. Pressure from Kirby (18-3) caused confusion and a number of turnovers by the Knights, who struggled to find a rhythm throughout the 63-44 loss.
"It was us just not taking care of the ball like we should," said Centerpoint head coach Kevin Owens.
The Trojans gained some ground in the second quarter to lead 31-21 at halftime. Senior Carson Smith and Hagen Cimino combined to score all 17 of Kirby's points in the second.
The Knights trimmed the deficit to eight points less than three minutes into the second half after a basket by 6-5 senior center Parker Sutton. Smith answered with a two-pointer of his own.
Centerpoint senior Eric Valdez was called for a technical foul on Kirby's next possession. Owens was called for a technical shortly after.
"We got the technical and I thought it was a lame call, just because a kid hollered 'walk,'" Owens said. "That's just part of it. It was an eight point ballgame and then I got a technical. It may not be an excuse and it just snowballed from there."
Smith converted all four foul shots to make the lead 40-26. Cimino added two points and Smith made a 3-pointer as the lead stretched to 45-26. The Trojans continued to add to their lead as multiple Knights starters began to foul out in the third quarter.
Junior guard Owen Bright, who had eight of the Knights' nine points in the first quarter, fouled out of the game with 3:28 remaining in the third with Centerpoint already at seven team fouls. He finished with 10 points.
Senior guard Kanon Horn fouled out in the final minute of the third frame. Kirby led 51-34 to start the fourth quarter.
"We got back into the game and then got out of it in the middle of the third quarter," Owens said. "That's just the way it goes."
A basket by Smith in the fourth quarter gave Kirby its largest lead lead of the game at 58-36. He finished as the game's leading scorer with 30 points, including 14-for-16 shooting on free throws.
Kirby was 28-for-35 on free throws for the game. Centerpoint was 14-for-21.
Cimino also had 19 for the Trojans. Sutton led the Knights with 16 points.
Centerpoint will be on the road at Haskell Harmony Grove (2-8) on Tuesday. Kirby is next scheduled for a home game on Jan. 9 with Acorn (9-7).
Sports on 12/31/2017