The Hutto Hippos varsity boys basketball team earned an impressive 62-39 victory over the McNeil Mavericks on Friday, Jan.
10. Senior guard Cylin Tate and junior forward Ronald Willis led the Hippos with 14 points each.
Hutto dominated from the outset, jumping to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter. The Mavericks were held scoreless until the 2:00 mark of the period. Willis spearheaded the offensive surge, scoring 10 of his 14 points during this stretch.
The Hippos closed the quarter with a 16-6 advantage.
The second quarter mirrored the first, as Hutto outscored McNeil 16-6 to take a commanding 32-12 lead into halftime. Tate sparked the offense in the quarter, contributing seven points.
McNeil’s offense came alive in the third quarter, scoring 20 points, but the Hippos kept pace with 21 points of their own to maintain a comfortable 53-32 lead heading into the final period. Hutto secured the doubledigit win with a strong defensive effort in the fourth quarter.
The Hippos’ offensive success was bolstered by contributions from the bench, with 10 players logging at least six minutes of game time. This marked a continuation of last week’s trend in Hutto’s 60-52 victory over Vista Ridge, where 12 players recorded eight or more minutes.
Senior guard Jacob Bell and senior forward Chase Ellis also delivered notable performances, each scoring eight points. Bell went 4-for-6 from the field, while Ellis finished 4-for-5.
The win improved Hutto’s record to 10-14 overall and 3-5 in district play. The Hippos will look to extend their winning streak to three games when they face Cedar Ridge on Tuesday, Jan. 14, before hosting Manor on Friday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m.
