The Chillicothe Hornets boys basketball team was in Kansas City Tuesday night for a meeting against Ewing Marion Kauffman. Both teams entered the contest with 11 wins on the season and Chillicothe was looking to snap a three game losing streak during a challenging portion of their schedule.
The Hornets started hot, scoring the first 7 points of the game. Chillicothe found success with Jaishon White underneath the basket, who tallied 14 first half points, and a game high 22. Soljier Allen also provided a perimeter threat, knocking down three first half triples as Chillicothe held a 29-20 halftime advantage.
The Hornets push the margin out to 11 in the 3rd quarter but Kauffman responded with a sustained run of their own, trimming the deficit to 5 entering the 4th quarter and then tying the game up at 49-49 inside the final minute of play. Chillicothe had led the entirety of the game and it was the first time the score was tied since 0-0.
Kauffman had possession of the basketball with 10 seconds remaining. When the Blue Knights go ahead attempt came up short off the front rim, White rebounded the basketball for Chillicothe with 4 seconds left, pushed it ahead to halfcourt, then found an open Langston Johnson on the left wing, behind the three-point line. Johnson released the ball just prior to time expiring, as the buzzer sounded the ball banked off the glass and through the net to lift Chillicothe to the win. The Hornets bench swarmed Johnson in celebration of the 52-49 victory.
Chillicothe is now 12-8 on the season and will travel to Savannah on Friday night for a Midland Empire Conference game.
Chillicothe 16 29 39 52
Kauffman 13 20 34 49
Individual scoring:
Chillicothe – White 22, Allen 10, Johnson 8, Max Probasco 5, Ashton Baker 4, Kenyen Gannan 3
Kauffman – Marquan Haslip 17, Derrick McGee 10, Dayvion Harvey 9, T. Young 9, O. Sanders 2, Bennie Walsh 2
