Hobbton had a loaded schedule this week as most teams across the county did. Their varsity boys fell short in both contests, but their JV were victorious in both matchups.
12/8 vs. Midway
After a close, scrappy first half, the Midway Raiders opened up the second half Monday night, and pulled away for a 68-50 victory over the Hobbton Wildcats.
Hobbton jumped out to an early lead and held it until late in the first quarter, when Midway caught up and moved in front. From that point through the remainder of the first and second quarters, the lead changed frequently, often swinging by just a single point with each change of possession. The Raiders held a narrow 14-12 advantage after the first quarter and led 33-32 at halftime after Ace Matthews connected on a desperation half-court shot at the buzzer.
Midway slowly began to separate in the third quarter, building a 51-40 lead heading into the final frame. The Raiders added 17 points in the fourth quarter while holding the Wildcats to 10 to secure the win.
Tanner Williams led all scorers with 23 points for Midway. Matthews finished with 12 points, and Harry Johnson added 10.
For Hobbton, Amir Tate paced the Wildcats with 19 points. Richard Simpson followed with 14 points, while Joe Corbett contributed eight.
In the JV matchup, Hobbton earned a 44-34 victory over Midway.
12/10 vs. W. Harnett
The Hobbton Wildcats earned a split decision Wednesday night against the Western Harnett Eagles, with the JV squad pulling out a 49-42 win before the varsity fell 84-51.
The JV contest was a barn burner from start to finish, with the lead changing hands several times throughout the game. Hobbton held a 17-14 advantage after the first quarter and carried a four-point lead into halftime at 23-19.
The second half mirrored the first with scrappy, hard-nosed play on both sides. The Wildcats held a slim 38-35 lead after three quarters. Western Harnett applied heavy pressure in the final frame, cutting the deficit to one point with a minute remaining. The Eagles were forced to foul in an effort to rally, but Hobbton remained steady at the free-throw line, sealing the 49-42 victory.
Braxton McLamb led the JV Wildcats with 12 points. Zecharia Holmes and Cohen Betts each added eight points, while Eli Davis finished with four.
The win marked the second straight victory for the Hobbton JV squad.
Varsity
After a tough loss to Midway on Tuesday night, the Hobbton varsity boys got off to a strong start against Western Harnett, taking a 21-17 lead after the first quarter. From there, the Wildcats began to run out of steam as the Eagles took control in the second quarter, outscoring Hobbton 24-8 to take a commanding halftime lead.
Hobbton came out of the locker room with a strong effort in the third quarter, scoring 15 points, but Western Harnett continued to apply pressure with 22 points of their own. The Eagles closed the game by outscoring the Wildcats 21-7 in the final quarter to secure the 84-51 win.
Richard Thompson led Hobbton with 17 points. Amir Tate finished with 10 points, while Isiah Collins and Reggie Thompson each added eight. Joe Corbett chipped in five points, and Idaris Eason had four.
With the loss, the Hobbton varsity boys fall to 1-4 overall.