Senior guards Taylor Sade and Trey Starks combined to sink 18-of-19 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter to help pace the Springfield Hillcrest High School boys’ basketball team past Holt 60-48 Saturday in Missouri Class 5 Quarterfinal action at the Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building on the campus of Missouri S&T.
The Ozark Conference’s Hillcrest Hornets, winners of 11 straight games, improves to 23-7. Holt ends at 22-8.
Hillcrest advances to the second Missouri State Tournament Final Four in program history.
The Hornets will play Park Hill South (21-9) at 8:30 p.m. Thursday in Class 5 State Tournament Semifinal action at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia. In the other boys’ Class 5 semifinal game on Thursday St. Louis CBC (22-8) meets Oakville (26-4) at 6:50 p.m.
The boys’ Class 5 Championship Game is slated for 8:05 p.m. Saturday.
The Hornets took an 11-8 lead after one period and held Holt to just four second-quarter points to build a 27-12 halftime edge.
However, Holt rallied in the third period, outscoring Hillcrest 18-9 in the quarter to cut its deficit to 36-30.
Hillcrest reeled off 24 points in the fourth quarter -- most at the free throw line -- to hold on.
Starks fired in 22 points to lead Hillcrest while sophomore forward Dorial Green added 17 and Sade 12.
Dantiel Daniels had 10 points for Holt.
Girls
Kickapoo 41, Rock Bridge 24
In the girls’ quarterfinal game at the Bullman Building on Saturday, the Kickapoo Lady Chiefs used a dominating defensive performance to advance to its first Final four since 2005.
Kickapoo, of the Ozark Conference, improves to 24-5 while the Rock Bridge Lady Bruins finish at 24-5.
The Lady Chiefs will play Blue Springs (25-3) at 5:10 p.m. Thursday at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia in Class 5 State Tournament Semifinal play. In the other girls’ Class 5 Semifinal game Incarnate Word Academy (28-1) will meet Ft. Zumwalt West (25-4) at 3:30 p.m. Thursday. The girls’ Class 5 Championship Game is slated for 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Kickapoo held an 8-5 lead after the first period and took a 17-8 halftime edge. Kickapoo took a 27-14 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Annie Armstrong had 14 points to lead Kickapoo while Jordan Graham added 10 points.
Rock Bridge’s all-state point guard Amaya Williams was limited to one point.
