In a battle of unbeaten teams, the St. Louis Hawks held off the visiting Bowling Green Hornets 108-97 Saturday night.
The Hornets had finished playing their inaugural game 20 hours earlier at Russellville’s Jim Young Gymnasium and then made the long van trip to Missouri before the 6 p.m. tipoff.
Bowling Green was without its leading scorer and rebounder from the night before, NAIA Player of the Year Vic Moses, who didn’t make the trip. He had totaled 26 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks in the Hornets’ 118-98 victory over Dayton.
In this game, the Hornets were led by a trio of former Western Kentucky University players: 6-foot-11 center Teeng Akol with 25 points, point guard Jamal Crook with 24 and shooting guard Kahlil McDonald with 14.
Former Russellville Panther center Tony Key had 9 points and 11 rebounds.
According to Central Basketball League Director of Communications Butch Cooper, St. Louis opened the game on a 7-0 run and led most of the contest as Bowling Green found itself playing of catchup throughout. The Hawks took an 88-67 lead into the fourth quarter and held off the Hornets in the final period on the campus of Soldan High School.
Coach Otis Key’s Hornets made a frantic rally to cut the lead to three with 90 seconds left., but the Hawks made the shots in the clutch when they needed to and they pulled away in the final seconds.
Phillip Gilbert of the Hawks (3-0) led all scorers with 27 points, while Corey Hill and Lonell Johnson each added 17.
The Hornets return home to play these same Hawks this Friday at 7 p.m. at Jim Young Gymnasium. Reduced price tickets can be ordered online at www.centralbasketballleague.com.