The Hutto Hippos varsity girls’ basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 49-46 loss to the Manor Mustangs on Tuesday, Dec. 3, as Manor sank a gamewinning three-pointer with just two seconds remaining.
This marked Hutto’s second consecutive onescore loss, following a 52-51 defeat to Cedar Ridge. The Hippos appeared to be in control early, building a commanding 26-10 lead in the second quarter.
However, Hutto’s shooting cooled off, allowing the Mustangs to trim the lead to 29-18 by halftime.
Hutto’s offensive struggles continued in the second half, with turnovers proving costly as Manor mounted a comeback. The game’s decisive moment came in the final seconds.
After a potential-jump ball went uncalled, the Mustangs maintained possession and drained a clutch three-pointer to secure the win.
Despite the loss, standout performances for the Hippos came from junior power forward Victoria Escobedo and junior small forward Taylor Hicks.
Hutto falls to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in district play, while Manor improves to 7-5 and 1-1 in district. Hutto will look to rebound when it hosts Vista Ridge on Friday, Dec. 6. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. The Hippos will then enjoy a two-week break before returning to action at home against Round Rock on Tuesday, Dec. 20, also at 7 p.m.
