By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EMPORIA -- There were a lot of positives for Hayden's boys basketball team in Tuesday's opening round game in the Paul Terry Classic, with the Wildcats building a 17-point lead over Basehor-Linwood late in the first half and leading by seven points with just a minute remaining.
Senior Connor Hanika (3) scored 17 points to tie for team-high scoring honors in Tuesday's 63-62 Hayden loss to Basehor-Linwood in the first round of the Paul Terry Classic. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior Carter Compton (12) scored 17 points with three 3-pointers in Hayden's 63-62 loss to Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But the way the game ended left a sour taste in Hayden's mouth, with the Bobcats storming back to take a 63-62 win over the Wildcats on a pair of free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining.
Hayden junior Mason Becker raced downcourt to get up a potential game-winning shot, but his attempt bounced off the rim as time ran out, dropping the Wildcats to 2-2 on the season.
Hayden didn't get its entire team together until just days before its first game due to the Wildcats' run to the Class 3A state football championship game, leaving Dwayne Anthony's team with precious little practice time.
But Anthony refused to use that as an excuse for Hayden's late-game problems Tuesday.
"I don't think we can blame that on practice time,'' Anthony said. "I think we've got to blame that on abandoning the things that got us to those leads.''
But Anthony was quick to say that the Wildcats will use Tuesday loss as a learning experience and will move on.
"I like my guys, and if that's the challenge that we have is not being hard-headed and sticking the course, then we'll be just fine,'' Anthony said. "We're going to learn, because this hurts.''
Hayden took a 32-15 lead with 1:33 left in the first half on a three-point play from junior Carter Compton, but the Bobcats (1-1) scored the final six points of the half to gain some momentum.
Basehor-Linwood, which got a huge 28-point night from junior Elliott Brown, continued to rally in the third quarter, getting as close as a point and trailing 43-40 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Hayden held off the Bobcats through most of the final stanza and led 60-53 with a minute left before Basehor-Linwood ended the game with a 10-2 run, getting the game-winning charities from senior Chase Young.
Senior Connor Hanika and Compton scored 17 points apiece to lead Hayden while Becker added 11 points.
Hayden will be back in action at 4:30 p.m. Friday, facing Spring Hill in the second round of the Paul Terry Classic.
The Wildcats will close out their week at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against tournament host Emporia.
BASEHOR-LINWOOD BOYS 63, HAYDEN 62
Basehor-Linwood 8 13 19 23 -- 63
Hayden 17 15 11 19 -- 62
Basehor-Linwood (1-1) -- Brown 10 5-6 28, Morrison 2 3-3 7, Hofer 1 0-0 3, Young 2 3-4 8, Calvert 6 1-1 15, Elliott 0 0-0 0, Nixon 0 0-0 0, Peek 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 12-14 63.
Hayden (2-2) – Mitchell 1 4-6 6, Hanika 5 6-6 17, Becker 3 4-10 11, Kidd 1 1-2 3, Compton 5 4-6 17, Tourtillott 4 0-0 8, Wolff 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 19-30 62.
3-point goals – Basehor-Linwood 7 (Brown 3, Calvert 2, Hofer, Young), Hayden 5 (Compton 3, Hanika, Becker). Total fouls -- Basehor-Linwood 20, Hayden 17. Fouled out -- Hanika.
