Telegraph Staff Writer
Dustin Brown sank three three-pointers and finished as the game’s second-leading scorer with 20 points, but Jacksonville’s Hope Christian took advantage of turnovers and its own long-range shooting in handing the Eagles an 84-37 loss on the first day of the Lake Area McDonald’s-Kiwanis of Starke Christmas Basketball Tournament on Dec. 16 at Bradford High School.
A basket by Caden Talton and a pair of free throws by Brown left the Eagles (4-5) trailing 7-4 in the game’s early stages, but the Warriors (6-2) outscored Northside 21-4 to take a 20-point lead into the second quarter. Hope’s Dante Tillman scored the final seven points of the first quarter, including the first of his three three-pointers following an Eagles turnover.
The second quarter began with a steal by Brown, which led to Sam Bolen scoring off a Caleb Talton assist. That began a brief exchange of baskets, with Northside getting a basket from Caden Talton in between three-pointers by Hope’s Travon Miller and Emauri Hampton.
After a Brown three-pointer, the Warriors closed out the half on a 20-0 run, with 11 of those points coming off turnovers. Miller, who led all scorers with 22 points, had nine points during that span as Hope went into halftime leading 54-15.
The Warriors made four three-pointers in the third quarter as they increased their lead to 51 points. They’d finish the game with 12 baskets from beyond the arc.
Northside scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, with Brown scoring all but five of those. A Brown three-pointer sparked a 15-2 run. Caden Talton and Waylen Kahakua each had a basket before Brown knocked down back-to-back three-pointers. Brown then scored off a rebound putback.
Caden Talton finished with eight points, while Caleb Talton had four. Bolen and Kahakua each scored two points, with Noah Liston chipping in one.
Hope got 19 points each from Hampton and Tillman, while Dontrell Harris had 13. Adriel Bacher added eight points, while Ian Catala and Ortchild Constantin had three and two, respectively.
Day 2 action pits Northside against Jacksonville’s Joshua Christian at 5:30 p.m., while Hope will play Paxon at 7 p.m.
