The Chillicothe Hornets boys basketball team hosted their first home game of the season Tuesday night welcoming in the Penney Hornets from Hamilton. The main storyline of the game was the interior presence for each side, star players Jaishon White for Chillicothe and Jacob Miller for Penney, two of the areas best seniors going head to head.
In the early going, it was the halfcourt defense both ways that was most noteworthy. Penney managed just five points in the first quarter, yet lead 5-3. Chillicothe was unable to get ahead in the 2nd quarter either, as Penney had a response for any Hornets bucket. At halftime the Penney Hornets were ahead 14-12, with Miller and White contributing half of their team’s points at the break, respectively.
Penney opened up their largest lead of the game early in the 3rd quarter, going ahead 19-14. Chillicothe found their groove offensively after that, knocking in a pair of threes. Jaishon White’s top of the key three late in the third quarter put Chillicothe ahead 20-19 and the Hornets never relinquished the lead.
Chillicothe was up 22-21 going into the 4th and kept Penney at arms distance in the 4th quarter. Penney kept feeding Miller who finished with a game high 17 points but Burke Beetsma made critical foul shots late to extend Chillicothe’s lead and the Hornets won 44-35. Both White and Beetsma finished in double figures scoring in the win.
Chillicothe is now 9-6 and will play at Moberly on Thursday.
Chillicothe 3 12 22 44
Penney 5 14 21 35
Individual scoring:
Chillicothe – White 13, Beetsma 12, Turner Jackson 8, Jack Marshall 6, Oliver Perry 3, Max Probasco 2
Penney – Miller 17, Hudson Creekmore 13, Jared Cooley 5