LAUREL HILL — A gymnasium filling 30 minutes before tipoff of the boys basketball game between Laurel Hill and Paxton is nothing new — and didn't change Friday inside the Hoboes compact venue.
Also a recurring recent event is Paxton winning the rivalry — and that didn't change, either.
Despite never leading by more than five points from the second quarter to the end, Paxton also only trailed once. And after giving up a lead lasting more than two quarters, Paxton ended the game on an 11-6 run to win 69-64 and remain undefeated.
Laurel Hill-Paxton boys basketball photos>>>
More important, Paxton (8-0, 5-0) is now in sole possession of first place in District 1-1A.
Max Smith's two free throws tied the game 58-58 with around three minutes left. It was the first time Laurel Hill (7-3, 3-1) wasn't trailing since a 31-31 score near the end of the first half.
Three big rebounds, and a defensive adjustment at halftime, gave Paxton the final edge.
Desmond Moore put Paxton ahead on the next possession with an offensive rebound and layup, and after Devin Huckaba missed the second free throw in a 66-64 game with 22 seconds left, Zach Varnum grabbed the offensive rebound and split another pair of free throws. Laurel Hill's attempt at a tying 3-pointer was off, and Moore's rebound and two free throws clinched a win.
"I think it was rebounding on both sides of the floor," Paxton coach Jeff Bradley said.
Paxton has won six consecutive games and seven of the past eight in a rivalry dating back more than half a century.
This was more than a district game. Alumni were standing along the baselines coaching up the players currently following their legacies. Fans cried foul at any against their team. With each big 3-pointer from Laurel Hill or forced turnover from Paxton, the crowd grew louder and louder.
"I felt we came out too pumped," Laurel Hill coach Kent Zessin said. "We missed a lot of easy buckets early."
Paxton built a 13-4 lead in the first quarter. Then Laurel Hill — specifically Chris Saylor — found a shooting touch. Saylor went to halftime with 15 points, all from 3-pointers, and Laurel Hill's six 3's trimmed Paxton's lead to 36-33.
"We made some halftime adjustments for our defense," Bradley said. "We overloaded our zone with their offense.
In the second half, Laurel Hill only made three from beyond the arc as Paxton's 2-3 zone effectively converged on corner shooters and, at worst, forced contested shots. On the missed 3-pointer to possibly tie at the end, Laurel Hill sophomore Bryson Cooper was limited to a longer attempt than usual. Nothing else was available.
"We had to trust each other and get there," said Varnum, who finished with a team-high 20 points, "and trust our teammates would be behind us in their spots."
Each team had three double-digit scorers, with Grant Stewart's 19 points and Moore's 18 points helping Varnum. Laurel Hill's Tee Calloway led with 20 points, Saylor added 18 and Cooper finished with 13.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bobcats hold off Hoboes (PHOTOS, VIDEO)