DERBY, Kan. — Boy, nobody saw this coming! Not only did the Hutchinson High School basketball team get one big win over No. 1 Derby, they got two big wins over No. 1 Derby.
Hutchinson went into the Derby game heavy underdogs for both contests, but came out with two wins with the Salthawk girls winning the opening varsity contest 58-54 and the Salthawks boys rally after being down 4 at the half 32-28 to pull the upset win over the No. 1 team in the State and the No. 1 team in class 6A 67-63 in the late varsity boys game.
Maybe the Snow Moon earlier in the week had something to do with it? Nah....just some darn good coaching to instill a never give up attitude in both teams to, as Ted Lasso would say..."Believe" and Believe they did.
Girls recap:
Led by Kaia Smith's 22 points, including four trey's and 15 points from Grace Posh, including two clutch free throw tosses late, Hutch took a four point lead at half and made it hold to knock of #1 Derby 58-54.
Is this a signature win? It has to be as Hutchinson had lost to the Panthers for 10 straight years. You have to go back to February 17th of 2015 before you can find a Salthawk victory over Derby. Coach Kalen Hilst was a freshman at the University of Kansas. His two assistant coaches were seniors on the 2015 team, but on this magical night of basketball, the stars aligned for a Salthawk win.
Kohlbie Craft kept the Salthawks in the game with five of her seven points coming in the Salthawk second quarter. Lily Rodriquez hit a clutch three point shot in the third as the Salthawks kept breaking the Panther press.
Derby's star Junior Macayla Askew and Senior Karlie Demel found themselves in foul trouble and had to sit much of the game with Demel fouling out late in the 4th quarter. That was when Posh stepped up to knock down two free throws along with several Ava Krone steals and rebounds to help seal the win for the Salthawks.
Girls game versus Derby:
Boys recap:
As if the night couldn't be more electric, the Salthawk boys took the lead from the girls to get a monster game from Lamar Govain and Levi Kepler to knock off previously undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state Derby 67-63 in nail bitter on Friday night.
At one time in the fourth quarter, the Salthawks had four starters with four fouls each at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but Hutchinson was clinging to a 51-44 lead going into the final quarter. Taishaun Govan fouled out with 5:46 to play, then playmaker point-guard Terrell King fouled out less then 30 seconds later, plus Kepler was playing with four fouls as was Lamar Govain, but then the reserve players willed the Salthawks to the win. Kepler and Danny Boone came up with huge offensive rebounds as Kepler knocked down big free throws down the stretch as Derby had cut the lead to one. Lamar Govain played his best game as a varsity player to lead the Salthawks with two clutch charity tosses plus eight fourth quarter points as part of his team leading 23 points. Every Salthawk contributed as it took a great team effort to get a big win for Hutchinson on this Friday night in Derby.
Next action for the Salthawks will be Monday night at the Salthawk Activity Center as the game previously scheduled for Tuesday, February 18th has been moved to the 17th due to a predicted winter storm set to hit the area on Tuesday of next week.
Boys game versus Derby: