Senior guard Cylin Tate led the Hippos to a 60-52 victory over the Pflugerville Panthers on Friday, Dec. 27. Tate delivered an impressive performance, scoring 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
Hutto showcased resilience throughout the matchup. After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Hippos trailed 12-10. They tied the game at 21-21 by halftime, thanks to a clutch three-pointer from junior guard Malachi Hillby late in the second quarter.
The Hippos started strong in the third quarter, building a 29-23 lead with contributions from Tate, Hillby and junior forward Ronald Willis. Hutto extended its advantage to double digits with a layup from Willis, followed by a three-pointer from Tate.
Despite a late comeback attempt by Pflugerville, Hutto held firm to secure the win.
Willis finished with 14 points, while Hillby added 7 points to the effort. The Hippos improved to 8-13 overall on the season.
Hutto will hope to build on this victory as they resume district play against Stony Point on Dec. 31. They will then hit the road to face Vandegrift on Friday, Jan. 3, at 1:30 p.m.
