DERBY, Kan.—The #2 ranked Hutchinson Salthawk Boys' basketball found themselves in a hole at the start of the fourth quarter of play in Derby on Tuesday night, trailing the Panthers by four points 38-34, but found a way to win their twelvth straight victory with a 55-50 win over the scrappy Derby Panthers.
The game was back and forth through out the whole game with Derby leading after the end of the first quarter 16 to 13. Hutch cut the gap, but the Panthers still held a 1 point lead of 25-24 at the break. Derby again extended their lead to 38-34 going into the final quarter. Every possession was challenged with the Salthawks finally getting the lead midway through the fourth quarter by outscoring the Panthers 21 to 12 in the final stanza.
Seniors Dauntay King, Wade Meyer and Garrett Robertson all hit big 3 point baskets in the forth quarter. Wade Meyer gave hutch the lead 48-47 with 2:18 to go. It was his only basket of the night.
Nic Lange snagged a huge defensive rebound, with 4.0 secound remaining and hits 1 for 2 free throws gave Hutchinson the lead 53-50. The Panthers then tuned the ball over on an in-bounds play with 1.3 seconds to go. Hutch was fouled on the throw in, and Terrell King completed 2 of 2 shots to make the final score 55-50.
Hutch was lead in scoring by Dauntay King with 24 points, Terrell King 11, Nic Lange 10, Garrett Robertson chipped in with 7 points and Wade Meyer had 3.
Derby was led by junior Dallas Metzger with 20 points including 5, 3 point baskets. Kaeson Fisher-Brown had 8 points, Cooper Chadwick added 7, while Jack Ulwelling came off the bench to score 3. Mason Anderson and Kaden Franklin each finished the game with 6 points each.
#2 ranked Hutchinson remains undefeated at 12-0, while Derby falls to 8-4.
The Salthawks continue to play on the road with games in Newton (1-11) on Tuesday, and Salina South (1-11) next Friday.
Derby travels cross town to Maize (5-4) on Tuesday and then to Salina Central (4-8) on Friday.