ROUND ROCK — The Hutto Hippos boys basketball team fell to the Stony Point Tigers 81-48 on Friday, Jan. 31.
Hutto’s offense struggled, shooting 38% from the field and failing to reach 50 points for the first time in nearly a month.
The Hippos kept it close early, trailing just 14-13 at the end of the first quarter. However, the second quarter was a different story. Hutto struggled to find efficient shots, while Stony Point’s offense took over, outscoring the Hippos 26-7 to build a 40-20 halftime lead.
Hutto had no answer for Stony Point senior guard Uzziah Buntyn, who finished with 38 points on 10-of-18 shooting.
The Tigers continued their dominance in the second half, posting their highest-scoring quarter in the third, outscoring Hutto 32-16. The Hippos struggled with turnovers, committing 28, which led to several fast-break opportunities for Stony Point.
Senior guard Jacob Bell led Hutto with 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting, while senior guard Cylin Tate added 10 points on 2-of-5 shooting. Senior forward Chase Ellis grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
Despite the loss, the Hippos’ playoff hopes remain alive, though their margin for error is now slim. Hutto currently sits fifth in the district standings, three games behind Vandegrift.
The Hippos will need to win out and get some help in the standings. They face Vandegrift on Tuesday, Feb. 4, before traveling to Vista Ridge on Friday, Feb. 7, for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
