In High School Basketball News, Boys 2A Region II Semifinal: Lipan 45, North Hopkins 42
March 1, 2024 – McKINNEY—Freshman Court Gaylor scored 12 of his team-high 17 points and was perfect on six free throws in the final quarter, as second-ranked Lipan held off furious North Hopkins, 45-42, on Friday in a boys Class 2A Region II semifinal at McKinney North High School.
The Indians (28-4) advanced to Saturdays region championship against the Poolville-Muenster winner at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The eighth-ranked Panthers (28-8) never trailed by more than seven and seemed to have the momentum when Lukas Belz sank a three-quarter court shot to beat the third-quarter buzzer. Belz, who connected on three other three-pointers, led North Hopkins with 23 points.
Down 38-31 with 2:48 left in the game, the Panthers put Lipan on the free throw line to finish the game. Besides Gaylor, the Indians missed on 4 of 8 free throws and Steven Reyes’ 12-footer with 10 seconds left closed the gap to two points.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first half. North Hopkins was limited to one field goal in the second quarter until Belz’s floater in the lane with one minute left before the half. Lipan took a 14-12 halftime lead when 6-6 post Darius Steed worked inside for a lay-in with one second left. The Panthers shot just 1-7 from behind the arc in the first half.
Boys Class 2A Region II semifinals
Friday, March 1, 2024
McKinney North High School
Game 1
Score by quarters
North Hopkins 7 5 12 18 — 42
Lipan 7 7 11 20 — 45
NORTH HOPKINS (42)
Pacheco 2, Godbolt 2, Reyes 5, Belz 23, Mathis 10 ; Three-pointers: Reyes, Belz 4, Mathis; Fouled out: None. Record: 28-8
LIPAN (45)
Tarpley 6, Cornelius 8, Andreatta 6, Gaylor 17, Darius Steed 8; Three-pointers: Tarpley, Cornelius, Gaylor 3, Steed; Fouled out: None. Record: 28-4
By KEVIN McPHERSON/McKinney ISD Sports Information
