ANDREW SALMI andrew.salmi@granitemedia partners.com
HUTTO — The Hutto High School boys varsity basketball team under Head Coach Gant Caraway picked up two key victories this week at home Tuesday hosting New Braunfels Canyon High School and another Thursday over Plano West High School at the Mansfield Tournament.
Hutto Hippos 78, Canyon Cougars 66 Following a dominant 76-34 victory before Thanksgiving break at Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park, the Hippos had their home opener Nov. 28 against Canyon and coasted to a 78-66 win over the Cougars. This was a game that the Hippos got off to a very fast start in the first half and led by as many as 32 points in the third quarter and as a team hit 11 three-pointers and put the defensive pressure consistently on Canyon with 17 steals.
The Hippos got an efficient scoring effort from its trio of senior Byron Piper, senior Zachary Hicks and junior Jacob Bell all scoring in double figures. Piper led Hutto with 14 points, Zachary chipped in 13 points and Bell had 12 points of his own and a team-high seven assists.
Hutto Hippos 59, Plano West Wolves 50 A big second-half rally for Hutto was the difference as the Hippos stormed back for a 59-50 victory over Plano West in the first round of the Mansfield Tournament. Hicks led the way with a team-high 12 points and had three steals, while junior Cylin Tate had nine points, five rebounds and three steals in the win over the Wolves. The Hippos also got key scoring with eight points apiece from senior Jacques Calhoun, senior Dylan Patrick and junior Chase Ellis.
The Hippos then were edged in two straight contests in tournament action with a 61-52 loss to Mansfield Summit High School and 64-55 to C.E. King High School. Hutto (4-5 overall record as of Friday afternoon) will travel Dec. 5 to take on Austin McNeil High School and compete Dec. 7-9 at the New Braunfels Tournament
