Hackett staves off Valley Springs’ run to win nailbiter

“It was a war the whole time. I told my guys that was the best four seed in the state. You don’t win 26 games by accident.”

Hackett Coach Kent Elmore

HACKETT 55, VALLEY SPRINGS 53

BOONEVILLE — Hackett Coach Kent Elmore said he didn’t know any of the stats or numbers from its win Wednesday.

He just knew his top-seeded district tournament and conference champs from the 3A-4 survived a backand-forth battle in the first round of the Class 3A Region 1 Tournament with a 55-53 win over Valley Springs.

“That’s the important one,” Elmore said. “That’s the one that guarantees us three more games. Everybody’s looking at you. You don’t want to disappoint what you’ve done all season in one game.”

Hackett (24-5) advanced to the second round and a berth in next week’s Class 3A state tournament.

“I’m exhausted,” Elmore said. “It was a war the whole time. I told my guys that was the best four seed in the state. You don’t win 26 games by accident.”

With the score tied 43-43 early in the fourth quarter, Hackett took a 52-45 lead on a driving bucket by Eli Slaves and a three-pointer by Kanon Fisher with 2:47 left.

Junior Keyton Carnahan hit a three-pointer, made a steal and converted a threepoint play to draw Valley Springs (26-12) within 52-51 with 1:54 left.

Nate Helams, a 6-8 senior, followed with a bucket off an offensive rebound to give Valley Springs a 53-52 lead with 1:01 left.

Hackett’s Hayden Foster stepped out above the threepoint line and swished a jumper with 22 seconds left for the eventual game-winner.

“It’s an option call,” Elmore said. “He’s making a read. If they drop on him, we’re shooting it. He decided to drop on him, and he shot it. It’s something we practice. It’s a mentality we have.”

Foster, who’s 6-4, and the 6-8, 170-pound Helams battled all night inside.

“It’s always tough playing a matchup bigger,” Foster said. “They have way longer wing spans. It’s hard to go up against.”

Helams finished with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 6 blocks.

“You can’t coach 6-8,” Elmore said. “We got noodles out this week and being 8-feet tall. We were trying to figure out ways to finish. Credit to my guys, they found a way.”

Foster finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. He also had a three-pointer in the second quarter.

“You’ve got to guard Foster on the perimeter,” Elmore said. “We tried to extend him out and get him away from that rim as much as we could.”

Hackett led 15-9 after a quarter before Valley Springs scored the final six points of the second quarter, capped by a steal and layup by Carnahan at the buzzer, to take a 30-25 lead.

Hackett scored the first six points of the third quarter and led 43-41 after three quarters before Carnahan hit two free throws to tie the game at 43-43 with 6:54 left.

Carnahan finished with 24 points and Blaine Roberson 10 for Valley Springs.

Slavens scored 16 points for Hackett, Fisher added 8 off the bench, and Cole Ketchum scored 7.

ELKINS 76, COSSATOT RIVER 56

The top-seed 3A-1 district champs used a 22-15 scoring advantage in the second quarter to crack an 18-18 tie after the quarter on the way to the win.

Elkins (26-3) was led by Jaeden Newsom with 19 points. Justin Justus added 14, and Caleb Hankens and Xavier McDaniel had 12 each.

Cossatot River (20-11) was led by Dillon Loving’s 18 points. Kody Bailey scored 13 points.

GIRLS

ELKINS 46, PARIS 33

Elkins recorded a convincing firstround win as the fourth seed from the 3A-1.

The Lady Elks led 14-7 after a quarter, 26-15 at the half and 32-21 after three quarters.

Paris cut into Elkins’ 36-23 lead in the fourth quarter when Annabelle Perry drove inside for a jumper and Preslee Bowman hit a three-pointer to end a 9-0 run with 2:25 left.

Taylar Brannan ended the run with a bucket inside for Elkins (18-11), and Lakyn Shofner, Ava Couch and Ava Williams hit free throws down the stretch.

Paris (15-19) was led by Perry with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kaydence Freeman added four points and 10 boards.

Emma Holland added nine points and 10 rebounds for Elkins.

VALLEY SPRINGS 50, CHARLESTON 29

Valley Springs broke away from a close game after a quarter for the win.

Valley Springs (24-9), the top seed from the 3A-1, led 10-4 after a quarter and used a 9-0 run to lead 27-14 at the half. Valley Springs added an 11-9 advantage in the third quarter to lead 38-23 after three quarters.

Macy Willis scored 20 points and Tayla Trammell added 15 for the Lady Tigers.

Charleston (15-13) was led by Kytan Johnson’s nine points.