ROUND ROCK — The Hutto Hippos varsity boys basketball team fell 56-40 to the Stony Point Tigers on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Senior guard Malachi Hilby led Hutto with 20 points in the loss.
The Hippos were unable to keep pace with a barrage of 3-pointers from the Tigers, who knocked down eight shots from beyond the arc.
Stony Point junior guard Blake Brasch accounted for six of those 3s and finished with a game-high 21 points.
Hutto had opportunities to stay within striking distance but was hurt by turnovers, poor rebounding, shot selection and missed fast-break chances.
The 40-point performance marked the Hippos’ second-lowest scoring output of the season. Hutto shot just 38% from the field and 12% from three.
The opening quarter was low-scoring, with Stony Point holding a 13-10 edge, as missed fast breaks and rushed shots plagued the Hippos.
Senior guard Brian Caldwell provided most of Hutto’s offense in the period, scoring six of the team’s 10 points. Caldwell finished second on the team with 12 points.
The second quarter saw an offensive spark, however, as Hutto found its rhythm and went on a 12-6 run to take a 22-19 lead. Hilby led the surge, scoring 12 of the Hippos’ 14 points in the quarter.
The momentum was short-lived. Brasch ignited Stony Point’s offense with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 22, then added two more from long-range before halftime to give the Tigers a 33-24 lead.
Hutto was unable to recover in the second half, as Stony Point outscored the Hippos 14-8 in the third quarter to extend its lead to 47-32 heading into the final period as it controlled the boards with multiple secondchance points.
The Hippos were outrebounded 36-29 on the night.
Hilby remained a bright spot, doing his best to keep Hutto competitive, but the Tigers maintained control and secured the double-digit victory.
Hutto fell to 8-15 overall and 1-4 in district play. The Hippos will look to bounce back when they host Vandergrift on Friday before traveling to face Vista Ridge on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 7 p.m.
