Hampton wasn’t able to complete a rally late on Thursday night.
The Bulldogs came up short in a heartbreaking 49-45 decision to University High in the Region 1-A Championship game at West Ridge High School.
With the loss, Hampton will travel to Oneida for Monday’s sectional contest with the winner advancing to the BlueCross Basketball Championships.
After University High’s Andrew Cole scored the first five points of the game, Dylan Trivett opened the scoring for Hampton with a jumper. Michael Anspaugh and Cadon Buckles added a bucket and 3-pointer, respectively, as Hampton took a 7-4 lead with 1:40 to play in the quarter.
The Bucs snapped the Hampton run as Cole hit a bucket and countered a Hayden Campbell bucket as the quarter ended in a 9-9 tie.
Campbell broke the stalemate with an early bucket, but the teams traded points before Geno Carrico and Anspaugh hit back-to-back buckets to give Hampton a 17-14 lead.
UH, however, battled back to regain an 18-17 advantage with 50 seconds remaining in the half.
The Bulldogs saw Carrico score four points in the final seconds – including a jumper at the buzzer – as Hampton scored the final five points of the half to take a 22-18 lead at the half.
Trivett opened the scoring in the third quarter, as the teams traded shots over the first part of the quarter.
The Bucs struck late in the quarter by reeling off nine straight points to end the quarter with a 32-28 lead.
Hampton, however, wasn’t going down without a fight.
Chance Point hit key shots as Hampton closed within one point with 5:21 to play. After Anspaugh answered another UH bucket with 3:14 to play, UH used a 6-0 run to take a 46-39 lead into the final minute.
Campbell broke the run with a tough shot in the paint with 45 seconds left, and Buckets hit a floater with 27 seconds left as the Bulldogs pulled back within three points.
Pete Boynewicz scored a bucket for the Bucs to stop the Hampton rally and the Bucs were able to keep Hampton at bay for the win.
Anspaugh led the Bulldogs with nine points, while Point, Campbell, and Buckles had eight points apiece.
Trivett and Carrico had six points each.
Buckles, Point, and Campbell were named to the All-Tournament team.
Cole – who was named the tournament MVP – had 15 points to pace the Bucs, while Boynewicz finished with 14 points.
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