Less than 24 hours after winning a close game against a top-level team, Hamilton Southeastern…won a close game against a top-level team.
This time it was Center Grove, which the Class 4A No. 5 Royals faced Saturday afternoon in the Forum Tipoff Classic at Southport. Southeastern needed overtime to get past the Trojans, who are getting votes in the 4A poll, but ultimately prevailed 65-63.
The Royals led for the majority of the game, first making a 7-0 run to go ahead 12-7 in the first quarter. Aaron Etherington scored five of those points. Southeastern led by as many as nine points, 43-34, in the third period, before CG went on an 8-0 run that carried it into the fourth quarter.
The Trojans led 53-52 late in the game, but a Noah Smith free throw tied it at 53-all, and that’s where regulation ended. Center Grove led 58-56 with under two minutes left, but the Royals used a 6-0 spurt to regain the lead and held it until the buzzer. Smith and Nick Bowman made baskets, with Mabor Majak hitting a pair of free throws in between.
Etherington finished the game with 23 points, with Smith scoring 16 and Majak 10. These three Royals were also the rebounding leaders: Smith had seven boards, Etherington pulled six and Majak collected five. Bowman handed out five assists, while Smith and Chris Grubbs both dished out four. Majak made two blocked shots.
The Royals are 5-0 for the season and get a few days off before another big game: Southeastern hosts Fishers Friday in the annual Mudsock contest.
