Tip Off Classic recap: #1 and #2 go OT in an all-time classic

Eastview came back from the dead, but then Hopkins came back from the really dead. In the end, both teams somehow were still standing but only Eastview was a winner, 75-70 in a thrilling back-and-forth battle that neither team deserved to lose.

Eastview put a remarkable 17-2 run (eventually 26-9) on Hopkins late in the second half to lead 59-50 at the 6:00 mark. Just a few minutes earlier, Hopkins’ aggressive defense had Eastview on their heels, but the Lightning coped and survived and eventually took control for a period of about nine minutes. Not surprisingly, Madi Guebert led the charge for Eastview with 12 points in the run.

But Hopkins roared back on a 14-2 run of their own behind Ashley Bates’ 11 second half points, including a two at :10 to tie it up at 67 and send it into OT.

The two teams were exhausted and made just 4-of-13 FT in the OT but Emma Sinn and Sam Trammel got the only FG, each in dramatic fashion. Sinn scored on a beautifully executed back cut on about the sixth pass of the possession. Then Sam Trammel scored on a put-back after clearing Liz Bulver out with a no-call elbow. Bulver came out of the game right after that.

The intensity, the atmosphere were worthy of a state championship game, and this had all the appearances of being a preview of just that.

Early on, it was tied at 2, 4, 6 and 8 before Hopkins pulled out to 14-10, 19-13 and 22-15 leads as T.T. Starks put on her scorers hat. She finished the half with 10 for the Royals. But Madi Guebert responded with 9 points over the final6:30 of the half, getting Eastview back within two on three occasions. And Bates drive along the left baseline got Hopkins up 35-31 at the half.

Guebert scored 15 in the half, and her teammate Sam Trammel added 10, matching Starks’ total for Hopkins. Guebert finished the day with 35 points (on 10-of-16 shooting, 6-of-8 on three-pointers) and Trammel with 23 and 11 boards oin 10-of-17 shooting. Bates, Starks and Hollie scored 18, 18 and 17 for Hopkins. Bates shot 7-of-14, Starks 6-of-8 and Hollie 6-of-18. Eastview shot 56 percent against the best defense in the state, Hopkins shot 44 against the second best.

Eastview 75, Hopkins 70, OT

Score by half:
Eastview 31-36-8—75
Hopkins 35-32-3—70

Eastview: Guebert 35, Trammel 23, Schlosser 6, Ranke 5, Metoxen 4, Sinn 2.

Hopkins: Starks 18, Bates 18, Hollie 17, Knox 6, Winston 5, Livingston 3, Wiggins 1.

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