A shattered backboard halted play between Hamilton Heights and Southwest Christian from Arkansas for 3 hours, 2 minutes Saturday night, but the Hawks eventually posted an 84-72 victory behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31-point outburst in the 26th New Albany Hotbed Classic.
Six-foot-10 junior center Kaosi Ezeagu scored only four points, but it was his two-handed power dunk that shattered the backboard glass and stopped play with the Hawks leading by 22 points with 1:46 left in the third quarter.
There was an immediate gasp from the crowd at the New Albany (Mississippi) Memorial Gymnasium after Ezeagu’s dunk.
Classic officials scurried to find another gymnasium so the teams could finish the game. The Hawks watched another game for three quarters before taking the court and resuming play at 11:10 CT at Baldwyn High School.
Ezeagu, who like the three players that led Heights in scoring, is from Canada and was selected as the Hawks’ most outstanding player in the game. His backboard-breaking dunk could be seen on Twitter.
A University of Kentucky signee, Alexander hit 11-of-18 shots and 8-of-9 free throws and added eight assists and four steals in the Hawks’ big victory.
Therren Shelton-Szmidt added 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including making four 3-pointers. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 14 points – he made 5-of-8 shots – and claimed a team-high seven rebounds.
Hamilton Heights (23-5) had a 69-49 advantage after the third quarter ended.
The Hawks made 32 of 55 shots for 58.2 percent and were even better from 3-point distance with 61.5 percent (8 of 13).
Southwest Christian (24-2) was led in scoring by Gabriel Oxabuchien’s 21 points and seven rebounds. Emir Ahmedic had 15 points and six rebounds and Mladen Armus added 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, seven on the defensive glass. Miykah McIntosh scored 11 points.
The Lions shot an anemic 23.5 percent (4 of 17) from 3-point distance.
Meanwhile, Hamilton Heights’ once-beaten Lady Hawks routed Choctaw Central 69-44 as junior Elizabeth Balogun scored 21 points and added seven rebounds, seven blocks and four assists in the Robertson’s Sportwear Lady Classic in Booneville, Mississippi.
Senior Amber Hunt also scored 21 points for the Lady Hawks (20-1), who are ranked No. 8 nationally by Maxpreps. Freshman Treasure Hunt finished with 11 points and junior Jazmine Massengill, a University of Tennessee commitment, had four points and nine rebounds.
Rokia Doumbia contributed had six assists.
LINESCORE
Boys Game
Southwest Christian 13 20 16 23 – 72
Hamilton Heights 25 20 24 15 – 84
Southwest Christian (72) – Emir Ahmedic 15, Mladen Armus 13, Daniel 6, Brown, Benson 4, Miykah McIntosh 11, Daves, Gabriel Oxabuchien 21.
Hamilton Heights (84) – Diawara 3, Walker 14, Alexander 31, Szmidt 21, Panzo 2, Rawls 3, Massengill, Samake 4, Jitoboh 2, Ezeagu 4.
3-Point Goals – Southwest Christian 4 (McIntosh 3, Benson 1), Hamilton Heights 8 (Szmidt 4, Walker 2, Alexander 1, Rawls 1).
Girls Game
Hamilton Heights 22 15 19 13 – 69
Choctaw Central 16 8 17 3 – 44
Hamilton Heights (69) – Massengill 4, Elizabeth Balogun 21, Treasure Hunt 11, Amber Hunt 21, Cardosa 6.
Choctaw Central (44) – Kaedre Denson 15, D. Tubby 4, R. Tubby, Allen 3, Bell 3, Kyarrah Grant 16, Kyannah Grant 3.
3-Point Goals – Hamilton Heights 9 (A. Hunt 4, T. Hunt 3, Balogun 2), Choctaw Central 7 (Kyarrah Grant 4, Kyannah Hunt 1, Allen 1, Bell 1).
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfeming44)