DRAFFENVILLE – McCracken County and Bowling Green played the first of seven games on Saturday in the Marshall County Hoopfest. Bowling Green came one point from reaching the century mark, beating the Mustangs 99-67 behind 29 points from Terry Taylor, game MVP and Austin Peay signee, who was a perfect 13 of 13 in two point field goals.
Bowling Green advanced to the state tournament round of eight last season, earning state runner-up the previous season and look to make another run this season with a team heavy in seniors with seven.
The Purples built a 55-32 lead in the first half, going on to win their first game of the season by 32 points over the Mustangs. Following Taylor’s 29 points, Zion Harmon added 22 while McCracken County was led by Cameron Cartwright with 15 and Will Sivills with 14.
SCORING
Bowling Green: Taylor 29, Harmon 22, Key 12, Thurman 12, Dennis 10, Jackson 5, Dice 4, Buser 3, Boy 2
McCracken: Cartwright 15, W. Sivills 14, Daniel 11, Stonecipher 11, Hagan 6, Ellington 3, J. Sivills 3, Mayes 2
Bowling Green: Field Goals 42/65, 3-pointers 9/23, Free Throws 6/10, Total Rebounds 41, Fouls 20, Assists 10, Turnovers 10
McCracken: Field Goals 23/56, 3-pointers 6/23, Free Throws 15/22, Total Rebounds 22, Fouls 9, Assists 1, Turnovers 12
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Bowling Green | 25 | 30 | 24 | 20 | 99 |
| McCracken | 17 | 15 | 21 | 14 | 67 |
Saturday’s afternoon session began with a game between Paul Lawrence Dunbar, KY and Jemison, AL. Dunbar is the reigning Kentucky State Champions led by Mr. Basketball candidate and Western Kentucky commit Taveion Hollingsworth who led Dunbar with 18 points against Jemison.
Alabama bound John Petty, led Jemison with 25 points and 12 rebounds in their 67-54 win over Dunbar earning MVP honors. Jemison beat University Heights 73-62 on Friday for a Hoopfest sweep.
SCORING
Jemison: Petty 25, Jackson 11, Lanier 10, Crosby 7, McCarver 6, Gurley 4, Nicholas 4
Dunbar: Hollingsworth 18, Richardson 15, Gray 12, Yeast 4, Gadd 3, Ifeacho 2
Jemison: Field Goals 27/48, 3-pointers 4/7, Free Throws 9/11, Total Rebounds 33, Fouls 16, Assists 10, Turnovers 15
Dunbar: Field Goals 21/50, 3-pointers 4/14, Free Throws 8/12, Total Rebounds 20, Fouls 17, Assists 3, Turnovers 15
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Jemison | 13 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 67 |
| Dunbar | 16 | 6 | 17 | 15 | 54 |
Game 13 of the 2016 Hoopfest featured two Illinois teams, last season’s Class 3A State Champion Althoff Catholic and Curie that turned out the be the closest of all of this year’s Hoopfest games with Curie coming out on top 81-80. Currie was led by Elijah Joiner, who has committed to Tulsa, with 28 points.
Althoff Catholic’s Jordan Goodwin, who has signed with St. Louis, had 30 points and 11 rebounds and drew 12 fouls that sent him to the free throw where he hit 10 of 21. Althoff player Justin Strong has committed to play football at SIU.
SCORING
Curie: Joiner 28, Smith, Jr. 23, Pickens 14, Graham 5, Handy 4, Hamilton 3, Martin 2, Johnson 2
Althoff: Goodwin 30, Bateman 26, Ray 7, Goodwin 6, Strong 6, Brown 5
Curie: Field Goals 31/65, 3-pointers 9/27, Free Throws 10/14, Total Rebounds 45, Fouls 20, Assists 5, Turnovers 10
Althoff: Field Goals 25/57, 3-pointers 14/32, Free Throws 16/30, Total Rebounds 32, Fouls 13, Assists 6, Turnovers 8
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Curie | 21 | 15 | 18 | 27 | 81 |
| Althoff | 17 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 80 |
Oak Hill, VA and first year team Aspire Academy from Scottsdale, AZ met in game 14. Oak Hill Academy has played in the Hoopfest since 1997, missing just three years since and once again expecteded to be one of the top teams in the nation under Head Coach Steve Smith in his 32nd year.
Oak Hill won 57-41 led by Kansas commit Billy Preston with 16 points and 17 rebounds. A team full of talent, Oak Hill players who have signed include Tyshon Alexander (Creighton), Devontae Shuler (Ole Miss), Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State) and junior Kenny Nwuba has offers from Virginia Tech and Maryland.
Aspire Academy head coach is 24 year old Jeremy Kipness, who spent some time under Louisville’s Rick Pitino, and he leads an international team of players that include 7′ Assane Ndiaye and Makhtar Gueye from Senegal and Rodrique Hugues Tha Andela from Cameroon. Ndiaye is drawing interest from Texas A & M and Louisville.
Aspire Academy led 18-14 at the end of the first quarter, they were tied 26-26 at halftime but the Warriors poured it on in the second half out-scoring Aspire 31-15.
SCORING
Aspire: Wordlow 17, Brown 8, Gueye 5, Quest 5, Andela 4, Ndiaye 2
Oak Hill: Preston 16, Coleman 14, Wigginton 8, Shuler 8, Alexander 5, Nmuba 3, McCormack 3
Aspire: Field Goals 16/47, 3-pointers 1/9, Free Throws 8/16, Total Rebounds 30, Fouls 13, Turnovers 12
Oak Hill: Field Goals 23/57, 3-pointers 4/20, Free Throws 7/13, Total Rebounds 42, Fouls 15, Turnovers 9
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Aspire | 18 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 41 |
| Oak Hill | 14 | 12 | 11 | 20 | 57 |
The 2016 edition of the Marshall County Hoopfest concluded with a game between Prolific Prep, CA and Hillcrest Prep, AZ. Paul Scruggs (Xavier) led Prolific Prep to a 73-54 win with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Gary Trent, Jr. who has committed to Duke, scored 7 first half points before leaving the game with an injury. Trent’s father, Gary Trent, who played his collegiate ball at Ohio University and played for several NBA teams from 1997 to 2004 before playing overseas until 2007, was on hand to watch his son play.
Hillcrest Prep was led by Australian Josh Green with 21 points. Hillcrest players Virshon Cotton, Shamiel Stevenson and Alfred Hollins all hold Division I offers.
SCORING
Prolific: Scruggs 20, Kigab 18, Sow 14, Trent Jr. 7, Eyisi 4, Saleh, 3, Crockrell Jr. 3, Toure 2, Moss 2
Hillcrest: Green 21, Cotton 9, Ristonovic 8, Stevenson 7, Hollins 7, Noi 1, Clark 1
Prolific: Field Goals 31/54, 3-pointers 4/12, Free Throws 7/11, Total Rebounds 35, Fouls 19, Assists 4, Turnovers 16
Hillcrest: Field Goals 18/45, 3-pointers 6/18, Free Throws 12/17, Total Rebounds 19, Fouls 14, Turnovers 15
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Prolific | 26 | 12 | 14 | 21 | 73 |
| Hillcrest | 15 | 9 | 11 | 19 | 54 |
The Lady Marshals faced Henderson County in Saturday’s second game. CLICK HERE for the story.
Marshall County boys played Hopkinsville following in game three. CLICK HERE for the story.