The Sudan Hornets’ varsity basketball team dropped their road contest to the Hale Center Owls on Friday, 70-35.
With the loss, the Hornets fall to 8-13 overall, 1-2 in district play.
Carter Gonzales opened the contest with a jumper from the left elbow for Hale Center, but Aspen Reyher would answer with a three from the top of the key for Sudan, putting the Hornets in front, 3-2. Ryan Mesquite responded with a three from the right wing for the Owls and he followed it up with a fast- break lay- up off a Sudan turnover, stretching Hale Center’s lead to, 7-3.
The Owls took a time out to talk things over, and out of the break, Gonzales drove the baseline for a reverse lay-up, extending their lead to, 9-3, midway through the first quarter. Haden Provence hit Brian Delgado with a no-look pass through traffic for a lay-up, but Hale Center answered, as Gonzales drove the middle for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 11-5.
Late in the opening quarter, Haden Provence launched an outlet pass down court to Kyler Edwards, who dished it to Reyher, who drew a foul on Dj Hinojosa, earning a trip to the line. He made oneof- two shots at the line, trimming the lead to, 6-11, but Kauner Cerbantez closed out the first quarter with a jumper from the left side, making the score, 136, going into quarter number two.
Haden Provence opened the second frame with a defensive rebound, taking it coast-to-coast for a floater off of the glass, but Gonzales answered with a three from the right elbow, off of the assist from Hinojosa, making the score, 16-8. Mesquite dropped in a lay-up in transition, and he followed it up with a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Hinojosa, making the score, 21-8, as the Owls took a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, Hale Center picked up a steal, as Mesquite finished off the break with a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 23- 8. Gonzales sent a long pass down court to Cerbantez for a quick lay- up, and Cerbantez followed it up with another lay-up in transition, extending their lead to, 27-8.
Midway through the second quarter, Gonzales picked up a steal taking it the other way for a fastbreak lay-up, pushing their lead to, 29-8. Reyher answered with a lay-up on the other end, but Damian Martinez closed out the first half with a pass to Darius Borrego, who buried a three from the right wing, making the score, 32-10, going into the locker room at halftime.
Haden Provence opened the second half with a three from the right elbow, bu Mesquite answered on the other end with a floater from the left side, off of the assist from Gonzales, stretching their lead to, 34-13. Reyher drove the middle for a lay- up for Sudan and Haden Provence followed it up with a no-look pass to Kye Polk for a lay-up, trimming the lead to, 34-17.
Borrego picked up a steal, taking it the other way for a fast-break lay-up, but on the other end, Polk was fouled on a put-back attempt by Mesquite, earning a trip to the line. He split the attempts at the line, trimming the lead to, 36-18. Hale Center would respond as Cerbantez knocked down a jumper from the left elbow, and the Owls followed it up with a lay-up on the inbound play on their next possession, pushing their lead back out to, 40-18.
Mesquite split a pair of free throws for the Owls, after being fouled on an attempt by Reyher, but Reyher answered on the other end, finding Haden Provence for a lay-up to make the score, 41- 20. Haden Provence followed it up with a lay-up in transition, but the Owls would fire right back, as Gonzales drove the left side of the basket for a lay-up, pushing the lead back out to, 43-22.
Gonzales was fouled on a put-back attempt by Dylan Provence and he sank both shots from the line to make the score, 45-22. Halfway through the third quarter, Reyher hit Polk for a lay-up in transition, but the Owls answered, as Gonzales buried a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Hinojosa, making the score, 48- 24. Dylan Provence dropped in a floater off of the glass, but Gonzales again answered with a three from the left elbow, stretching their lead to, 52-26.
The Owls forced a turnover on their end of the floor, as Gonzales was fouled on an attempt by Christian Delgado. He made one-of-two shots at the line, pushing the lead to, 52-26. Cerbantez converted a pair of free throws after being fouled on the floor by Reyher, and Gonzales followed it up on their next possession with an offensive rebound, dishing it to Cerbantez, who buried a three from the left wing, extending their lead to, 5726.
With time winding down in the quarter, Haden Provence drove the middle and dropped in a floater, drawing an and-one foul on Borrego. He missed the free throw and Martinez closed out the quarter with a putback off of his own miss on the other end, as the Owls took a, 59-28, lead into the final quarter of play.
Haden Provence was fouled in transition by Martinez and he made oneof- two shots from the line, trimming the lead to, 59-29, as Hale Center took a time out. Out of the break, Gonzales buried a three from the right elbow, off of an assist from Hinojosa and he followed it up with a drive and kick to Martienz, who dropped in a floater from the right side, pushing their lead to, 64-29.
Borrego drove the lane, bouncing apass to Martinez for a lay-up, but on the other end, Reyher was fouled on an attempt by Borrego. He converted both shots at the line to make the score, 6631, midway through the fourth quarter. Cerbantez knocked down a jumper from the right wing for Hale Center, but on the other end, Reyher was fouled on an attempt. He sank both shots at the line, making the score, 68-33.
Mesquite hit Cerbantez for a lay-up in transition off of a turnover by Reyher, but Polk closed out the contest with a lay-up through contact, as Sudan fell to the Owls, 70-35.
Haden Provence led the team with 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal, while Reyher tallied 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Polk chipped in seven points, four rebounds and one assist, while Brian Delgado contributed two points, four rebounds and two steals.
Dylan Provence added two points, two rebounds and one steal, while Christian Delgado finished with four rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal.
The Hornets were at Lockney on Tuesday to take on the Longhorns. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Friday when they travel to Farwell to take on the Steers.
Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.