By JUSTIN RAINS
Palestine Herald-Press
BETHEL —
In the end, it wasn’t the mistakes made on the offensive or defensive ends of the floor that did Hubbard in here Friday against Cayuga.
It was the trash-talk before the game began.
Spurred on by the Jaguars’ chatter before tip-off, the sixth-ranked Wildcats scored the game’s first 15 points and never looked back in a 117-51 rout of the visiting Jaguars.
The game was testy from the beginning, with each team earning technical fouls during a dust-up in the second quarter that saw players from each side having to be separated from one another.
The Wildcats made sure the game was never close.
Before Hubbard ever took a shot, Cayuga led 9-0. More specifically, Chandler Rigdon led 9-0.
The sophomore took Cayuga’s first three shots, all three-pointers, and made them all without touching any rim to put the Wildcats up early.
He went on to finish with a game-high 31 points, while Preston Anderson finished with 30 and nine rebounds.
Rigdon hit seven threes in the game, while Anderson hit five for the sharp-shooting Wildcats, who were especially hot from outside Friday.
As a team, the Wildcats shot 55 percent from behind the arc, and Rigdon missed only one of the eight threes he attempted.
Deon Shofner had 27 points — including two dunks in traffic over Hubbard defenders — and nine rebounds. The big senior post was an efficient 10-of-12 (83 percent) from the field and 7-of-10 (70 percent) from the free throw line.
Wesley Rigdon finished with 12 points for Cayuga, and even Don Holly got into the scoring action, submitting his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds on the night.
Cayuga (15-6, 1-0) resumes district play Tuesday, when rival Cross Roads comes to Cayuga High School. Games being at 4 p.m.
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Sports editor Justin Rains can be reached via email at jrains@palestineherald.com
