The Fayette Falcons and Princeton Tigers split a basketball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, opening a six-game slate of contest on the first day of Holiday Hoops at the Ketcham Community Center in Trenton.
In action heard on KTTN FM 92.3, the Lady Tigers won their third consecutive game, taking the opener 46-30. Sophomore Lauren Krohn came off the bench to score a game-high 15 points for Princeton, with Lacie Lewis adding 12. The Lady Tigers, heading into Tuesday’s GRC opener at Trenton, are 3-2.
The Princeton boys, coming off a disheartening loss at Mercer on Friday night, seemed to carry the bad vibes from Friday into Saturday, falling behind by double digits early and unable to cut into the lead, falling to Fayette 53-39. The Falcons were paced by Cale Tolson with 20 points and Kyle Schleeter with 17. Princeton had 13 points from Colton Estes and 10 from Preston Thomas in falling to 4-2 on the season.
The Des Moines North Polar Bears were defeated by Grandview Christian 95-67, with Josue Grullon scoring 24 and Peyton Downey 17 points for Grandview, with Cannen Hii adding 13. For the Polar Bears, Tharon Locure had 22 points, Diondre Taylor 22, and Deavin Hilson 13.
The Hardin-Central Lady Bulldogs, led by 24 points from senior forward Carly Thacker, took down Gallatin 47-31. Izabella Anderson had 10 points for Hardin-Central.
The Northland Christian boys grabbed a 62-57 win over Hardin-Central, with the Trail Blazers getting 18 points from Christian Molway, 16 from Aiden Brunson, and 14 from Carson Starnes. Hardin-Central had 19 points from Mason Freece, 15 from Dalton Thacker, and 12 points from Kysor Hughes.
In the final game of the night, Creston won a border battle with Gallatin, claiming a 55-46 triumph. The Panthers had 20 points from Brance Baker, 16 for Cael Kralik, and 10 from Caden Briggs.
The KCI Conference Basketball Tournament wrapped up on Saturday at Mid-Buchanan High School in Faucett, with the host Dragon boys rolling to the championship with a 56-35 win over Plattsburg, while the East Buchanan Lady Bulldogs, buoyed early in the season by the insertion of freshman front-court talent, hammered the Penney Lady Hornets 55-36 to take the title. The boys third place game went to Lathrop, by a 71-49 margin over East Buchanan.
