Hopkinsville overcame an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter — and weathered a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Caldwell County — to claim a 74-67 victory Thursday night in Princeton.
Hoptown (1-1) got 24 points and 11 rebounds from Don Victor while Authur McKnight added 17 points. Jamarcus Burks scored 10 points.
Down 48-40, Hopkinsville used a 14-4 run to go up 54-52 when KC Cabiness scored inside with 2:41 left in regulation.
Two McKnight free throws gave Hoptown a 56-53 edge wih 15 seconds left.
But Caldwell’s Jamarius Blaine found teammate Cayden Fraliex in the corner, and Fraliex buried a 3-pointer to knot things at 56-56 and send the game to overtime.
However, Hopkinsville never trailed in the extra session, outscoring Caldwell 18-11 in the frame.
Hoptown took its biggest lead of the night at 10 points, 74-64, when Victor nailed two free throws in the closing seconds of OT.
Caldwell (0-2) got 17 points from Blaine and 15 from Fraliex. Cole Smiley added 10 points while Tripp Branch nailed a 3 at the end of the game to also finish with 10 points.
Each side had three players foul out in the contest.
Hopkinsville was 26 of 37 at the free throw line while Caldwell was 16 of 25.
Caldwell led for much of the contest, holding a 35-32 advantage at halftime and taking a 46-40 lead to the fourth quarter.
Hopkinsville 22 10 8 16 18 — 74
Caldwell Co. 25 10 11 10 11 — 67
Hopkinsville (1-1) — Victor 24, McKnight 17, Burks 10, Cabiness 9, Smith 7, Rudd 4, Wills 4, Deeds 2, Patterson 1.
Caldwell County (0-2) — Blaine 17, Fraliex 15, Branch 10, Smiley 10, Spikes 6, Riley 4, Ray 3, East 2.
