LEES CREEK – Hillsboro forced 10 fourth quarter turnovers and erased a double-digit deficit to post a 49-43 win over East Clinton Friday in the season opener for both teams.
Gracie Dean led Hillsboro with 12 points and five steals. Josie Hopkins had five rebounds, four assists while Karleigh Hopkins had five rebounds and four steals.
Elizabeth Evanshine, in her first varsity game, had 16 points, six assists and two steals for East Clinton. Allie Creachbaum had 10 points. Gracie Boggs scored eight points and hauled in 12 rebounds.
Despite having one of the youngest teams Craycraft has ever coached, the Lady Astros started fast. EC hit on 7 of 10 field goals and had five assists in the opening period. Elizabeth Evanshine had four assists. Gracie Evanshine and Allie Creachbaum had four points each.
It was a three-pointer by Kami Whiteaker that sparked the nine-point lead for EC. She hit the long-distance shot at the 2:20 mark.
Elizabeth Evanshine extended the difference to 18-6 with a three-pointer early in a sluggish second quarter. Josie Hopkins of Hillsboro stopped the run with a stickback to make it 18-8.
The first sub of the game for East Clinton came at 5:03 of the second quarter when Kelsi Lilly broke up the starting five. Hillsboro substituted liberally, hoping it would pay off later.
The Indians resorted to the long shot in the second, hoisting eight three-pointers but they made just one. Hillsboro struggled shooting in general, missing its first six free throw attempts as well.
Gracie Boggs stick-to-it stickback made it 24-12 late in the second as EC continued to hold a double digit lead.
Jordan Moberly’s three inside the final minute made it 26-15 but EC countered with two Gracie Boggs free throws and an Allie Creachbaum steal to make it a 13-point game at the break.
But that advantage quickly dissolved in the third as EC went 3:24 without a point. Gracie Dean had four early points and the Indians pulled within 30-24 midway through the third. Creachbaum and Libby Evanshine had baskets as EC pushed the lead back to 10 34-24.
Elizabeth Evanshine had an old-fashioned three point play in the final two minutes but Kayden Watson returned the favor for HHS. It was 37-31. Brynn Bledsoe found Karleigh Hopkins for a three then Hillsboro forced a turnover and Dean scored on a layup as the Indians pulled within one.
The Indians took the lead early in the fourth and it was a see-saw battle from there. Karleigh Hopkins had two straight steals and layups to give the visitors a 42-39 lead. It was 44-41 Hillsboro when EC called timeout with 3:53 to play in the fourth.
Up 46-41, Hillsboro took some time off the clock. With 2:10 to go, EC started to foul. Hillsboro was 4 for 13 at the line to that point.
Hillsboro’s Gracie Dean came out of nowhere to block Elizabeth Evanshine’s open three-pointer and all but seal the win for the Indians.
SUMMARY
Nov 22, 2019
@East Clinton High School
HB^6^9^21^13^^49
EC^15^13^9^6^^43
(49) HILLSBORO (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Dean 5-0-2-12 Watson 3-0-1-7 J. Hopkins 2-0-3-7 K. Hopkins 3-1-0-7 Jo. Moberly 4-1-1-10 Bledsoe 3-0-0-6 Page 0-0-0-0. TOTALS 20-2-7-49
(43) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) E. Evanshine 5-1-5-16 Whiteaker 1-1-0-3 G. Evanshine 2-0-0-4 Creachbaum 5-0-0-10 Boggs 2-0-4-8 Lilly 1-0-0-2. J. Jones 0-0-0-0. TOTALS 16-2-9-43
FIELD GOALS: EC 16-35; H 20-46
3 PT FIELD GOALS: EC 3-7; H 2-19
FREE THROWS: EC 9-11; H 7-19
REBOUNDS: EC-27 (Boggs 12 Creachbaum 6 G. Evanshine 4); H-26 (J. Hopkins 5 K. Hopkins 5)
ASSISTS: EC-11 (E. Evanshine 6 Whiteaker 3); H-10 (J. Hopkins 4)
STEALS: EC-6 (E. Evanshine 2 Boggs 2); H-19 (Dean 5 K. Hopkins 4 Bledsoe 3)
BLOCKED SHOTS: EC-1; H-3
TURNOVERS: EC-26; H-13
