Contributing writer
Peabody-Burns High School Warriors suffered a third loss of the season Tuesday at Hutch Trinity. The Celtics came out on top in the overtime loss, 45-43. The team had a major win Friday at Ell-Saline with a win over the Cardinals, 60-28. With only one more game left in the regular season — a senior night competition against Berean — the team will then move on to sub-state play.
Hutch Trinity
The Celtics scored first in the contest. Martin Hofkamp scored a basket to put PBHS on the board with 4 minutes, 20 seconds on the clock. The Celtics then had a 2-point basket and a trey, and took the 5-point lead, 7-2. Jacob Simmonds cut the lead to 3 with a basket with a minute and half left in the first and Storm Pickens cut the Celtic advantage to 1 with 10 seconds on the clock. Hutch Trinity had the slight edge, 7-6, at the end of the first quarter.
Hofkamp gave the Warriors their first lead in the contest with a basket, but the Celtics came back with a 6-point run, and with 1:12 left in the second quarter, PBHS trailed, 13-8. Brian O’Neal got on the board late in the half with a free throw. Hutch Trinity added 2 more and led 15-9 over the PBHS squad at the half.
The Celtics put up the first score in the third with a 2-pointer. Hofkamp answered with a goal, but Hutch Trinity scored 4 and the Warriors trailed, 21-11. O’Neal gave the Warriors 5, a trey and a 2, and the Celtics added a 2. Hofkamp added two baskets and the Warriors cut the lead to 3, 23-20. With 3 minutes on the clock, Hutch Trinity added a trey and increased the gap to 6. Hofkamp had a free throw and Aaron Topham shot a trey and PBHS was down 2, 26-24. Again, the Celtics scored a basket, but Topham got a 2, and with 45 seconds left in the quarter, Simmonds tied the game at 28 with a basket. The period ended in a tie.
Hofkamp had the first basket in the fourth and the Warriors led, 30-28. Hutch Trinity added 2 points and the game was all-even at 30. PBHS had two misses on the offensive end and the Celtics scored a 3. Simmonds added a 2 and the gap narrowed to 1, 33-32. Topham scored two free throws and the lead went back to PBHS, 34-33. Hutch Trinity scored a free throw and it was all even at 34. Another Celtic free throw gave the Hutch team the edge, 35-34. More Celtic free throws put the Warriors down, 37-34. Sean Jones connected on one of two from the line to cut the lead to 2, 37-35.
One more free throw from Hutch and the gap was 3 with 14 seconds left in the fourth. With 4.3 seconds left in the game. O’Neal drained a trey to tie the game and forced overtime.
The Celtics opened the extra period with a basket. Hofkamp hit one of two at the line and with 3 minutes on the clock, PBHS trailed by 1, 40-39. The Celtics added a basket but O’Neal again closed the gap with a 2-pointer. With 29 seconds on the clock, Hutch Trinity hit two free throws and led, 44-41. Topham closed the gap to 1 with a 2-point basket with 12 seconds on the clock. The Celtics hit one of two from the line and the lead was 2 with seconds left in overtime. The game ended with two misses from the Warrior squad.
PBHS lost, 45-43.
Hofkamp led the offense with 14 points in the contest. O’Neal had 11 and Topham had 9. Simmonds added 6 and Pickens scored 2. Jones had a free throw.
Ell-Saline
PBHS jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter of the competition. Topham scored 9, Simmonds 4, and Hofkamp 2. PBHS defense held Ell-Saline to 5. PBHS led 15-5 at the end of the first.
PBHS offense added 10 in the second and Ell-Saline added 9. Jones, Simmonds, O’Neal, Hofkamp, and Topham had 2 points each. PBHS led 25-14 at the half.
A huge third quarter for PBHS offense extended the gap to 21, 47-26 at the end of three quarters. Topham had 8 points in the quarter, O’Neal 6, and Simmonds and Hofkamp added 4 each.
PBHS coasted to the win. Brody Kyle and Hofkamp each had 4 points in the final period, Simmonds added 3, and Derek Price had 2.
Topham led the offense with 19 points, Simmonds 13, Hofkamp 12, O’Neal 8, Kyle 4, and Price and Jones added 2 each.