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By ROD DIXON, C-T Sports Writer
Although the Chillicothe Hornets basketball team is much improved this year over the past few years, it is having to re-learn what it takes to win on a more-consistent basis.
Friday night’s home game against the visiting Kirksville Tigers was definitely a learning experience for the Hornets. Up by 12 points at the beginning of the fourth period of play the Hornets squandered the lead and eventually lost to the Tigers by four points, 62-57.
It was the second time in three games the CHS boys were well-positioned to win entering the fourth period, only to falter significantly down the stretch. A 2-point deficit after three quarters turned into a 20-point loss to a fine Falls City (Neb.) team Dec. 30.
In between, facing a 5-5 St. Joseph: Bishop LeBlond squad, the Hornets were within four points in the middle of the third period, but scored only one field goal and four points the rest of the night to lose by 21.
With that sequence of finishes, veteran head coach Tim Cool, in his first year of trying to guide the Hornets back to prosperity, knows the squad’s psyche probably currently bears a figurative big, red warning label on it: Fragile – Handle with care.
How they’ll react to their downturn in fortunes will be tested tomorrow night when they host Maryville in Midland Empire Conference competition. The varsity/junior-varsity/freshman tripleheader will begin at 5 p.m.
Saturday, both teams were a bit sluggish offensively to start the game.
The lead see-sawed back and forth most of the opening period.
With the game tied at 3-3, the Tigers’ Nathan Farnsworth scored back-to-back baskets to open up a 7-3 lead. Hornets sophomore Tyler Clampitt and senior Nic Voorhies answered and the game once again was tied at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
Tyler Midgyett gave the Hornets their first lead of the game at 11-9 with two minutes left in the period, only to see Kirksville score the final five points of the stanza to take a 14-11 lead after one.
Voorhies opened the second period with a 3-point basket to tie the game yet again at 14-14. The teams then exchanged baskets over the next few minutes of play before Chillicothe seized a 20-18 lead on a basket by Midgyett.
After strong defensive pressure forced a 5-second call and Kirksville turnover, the Hornets increased the lead to 23-18 on a three-point play by Spencer Hart with nine seconds left in the half.
Chillicothe senior Trevor Reger scored the first basket of the second half as the Hornets increased their margin to 25-18 with a 7-0 run that spanned from the end of the second period into the start of the third.
A Tigers basket ended the run, but the Hornets went on another 7-0 dash and increased their lead to 32-20, forcing Kirksville to call a timeout. Baskets by Midgyett, Hart, and Reger and a free throw by Voorhies helped Chillicothe open up its biggest lead of the game.
After the timeout, Chillicothe fouled a Kirksville shooter on a 3-point try and the shooter converted two of his three free throws, but the Hornets shrugged it off and preserved the 12-point lead the rest of the third frame, taking a 49-37 lead into the final period of play.
After scoring 26 points in the third period, there was nothing to suggest what would happen with the CHS boys next.
With an eighth victory of the season and avoidance of a skid of four losses in five games beckoning, the Hornets offense suddenly could not find its footing and the normally-stingy defense was not up to snuff either.
The visiting Tigers started the fourth period with a 10-0 run to close the seemingly-comfortable CHS lead to 49-47.
By ROD DIXON, C-T Sports Writer
Although the Chillicothe Hornets basketball team is much improved this year over the past few years, it is having to re-learn what it takes to win on a more-consistent basis.
Friday night’s home game against the visiting Kirksville Tigers was definitely a learning experience for the Hornets. Up by 12 points at the beginning of the fourth period of play the Hornets squandered the lead and eventually lost to the Tigers by four points, 62-57.
It was the second time in three games the CHS boys were well-positioned to win entering the fourth period, only to falter significantly down the stretch. A 2-point deficit after three quarters turned into a 20-point loss to a fine Falls City (Neb.) team Dec. 30.
In between, facing a 5-5 St. Joseph: Bishop LeBlond squad, the Hornets were within four points in the middle of the third period, but scored only one field goal and four points the rest of the night to lose by 21.
With that sequence of finishes, veteran head coach Tim Cool, in his first year of trying to guide the Hornets back to prosperity, knows the squad’s psyche probably currently bears a figurative big, red warning label on it: Fragile – Handle with care.
How they’ll react to their downturn in fortunes will be tested tomorrow night when they host Maryville in Midland Empire Conference competition. The varsity/junior-varsity/freshman tripleheader will begin at 5 p.m.
Saturday, both teams were a bit sluggish offensively to start the game.
The lead see-sawed back and forth most of the opening period.
With the game tied at 3-3, the Tigers’ Nathan Farnsworth scored back-to-back baskets to open up a 7-3 lead. Hornets sophomore Tyler Clampitt and senior Nic Voorhies answered and the game once again was tied at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
Tyler Midgyett gave the Hornets their first lead of the game at 11-9 with two minutes left in the period, only to see Kirksville score the final five points of the stanza to take a 14-11 lead after one.
Voorhies opened the second period with a 3-point basket to tie the game yet again at 14-14. The teams then exchanged baskets over the next few minutes of play before Chillicothe seized a 20-18 lead on a basket by Midgyett.
After strong defensive pressure forced a 5-second call and Kirksville turnover, the Hornets increased the lead to 23-18 on a three-point play by Spencer Hart with nine seconds left in the half.
Chillicothe senior Trevor Reger scored the first basket of the second half as the Hornets increased their margin to 25-18 with a 7-0 run that spanned from the end of the second period into the start of the third.
A Tigers basket ended the run, but the Hornets went on another 7-0 dash and increased their lead to 32-20, forcing Kirksville to call a timeout. Baskets by Midgyett, Hart, and Reger and a free throw by Voorhies helped Chillicothe open up its biggest lead of the game.
After the timeout, Chillicothe fouled a Kirksville shooter on a 3-point try and the shooter converted two of his three free throws, but the Hornets shrugged it off and preserved the 12-point lead the rest of the third frame, taking a 49-37 lead into the final period of play.
After scoring 26 points in the third period, there was nothing to suggest what would happen with the CHS boys next.
With an eighth victory of the season and avoidance of a skid of four losses in five games beckoning, the Hornets offense suddenly could not find its footing and the normally-stingy defense was not up to snuff either.
The visiting Tigers started the fourth period with a 10-0 run to close the seemingly-comfortable CHS lead to 49-47.
