For the second straight game Hamilton Heights’ nationally ranked Hawks scored 72 points in the Music City Classic in Nashville.
The Hawks built a 35-25 halftime lead and used a 25-point fourth quarter to post a convincing 72-51 victory over Summit on the final day of the classic at Whites Creek High School.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a Kentucky signee that drew Wildcats coach John Calipari to the game, led the Hawks (18-5) with 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Alexander added four rebounds and four assists.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 20 points while grabbing five rebounds with six of the Hawks’ 10 steals. Therren Shelton-Szmidt added 11 points and got four rebounds. Wheza Panzo led Hamilton Heights with six rebounds.
The Hawks shot 47.5 percent in the game, but had a sub-par effort from 3-point distance, hitting only 2 of 17 (11.8 percent) behind the arc. Coach Zach Ferrell’s squad was more effective at the free-throw line, hitting 14 of 21.
On Sunday, the Hawks defeated Providence Day 72-54 in their classic opener.
Demontay Dixon paced Summit (14-2) with 22 points and nine rebounds, but the Hawks’ defense forced him into eight turnovers. Dixon’s teammate Jaden Lewis had 10 points, seven rebounds and 10 turnovers. John Carter added 15 points and six boards for the Spartans.
In a morning game, Hamilton Heights’ girls dominated Memphis Central 90-41.
The Lady Hawks (18-1) scored 15 of the first 17 points and never looked back. Their first-quarter lead was 24-8. Coach Keisha Hunt’s girls had a 40-19 halftime advantage and led by as many as 53 points in the fourth period.
Treasure Hunt sparked the Lady Hawks with 22 points while Elizabeth Balogun tossed in 18 points and pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds.
Kamilla Cardosa tossed in 16 points and claimed 12 rebounds. Amber Hunt scored 12 points and Rokia Doumbia finished with 11.
Jazmine Massengill scored nine points and then headed for Knoxville where she attended the Tennessee-Notre Dame women's game at Thompson-Boling Arena for the first time as a 2018 Lady Vols commitment.
LINESCORES
Boys Game
Summit 19 6 12 14 – 51
Hamilton Heights 16 19 12 25 – 72
Summit (51) – Carter 4, Casey, Odimegwu, Jaden Lewis 10, Myers, Tiedt, Demontay Dixon 22, Lopiccolo, John Carter 15, Brown, Claus, Meadows.
Hamilton Heights (72) – Nickeil Alexander-Walker 20, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 26, Rawls, Massengill, Edwards, Therren Shelton-Szmidt 11, Diawara 4, Panzo 6, Ezeagu 5.
3-Point Goals – Summit 4 (Carter 3, Lewis), Hamilton Heights 2 (Walker1, Szmidt 1).
Girls Game
Memphis Central 8 11 14 8 -- 41
Hamilton Heights 24 16 28 22 -- 90
Memphis Central (41) – Massie 3, Washington 4, Downs, Balfour 2, Cooks 7, F. Rogers, J. Rogers, Stewart 6, Bennett, Lane 4, Kuykendoll 8, Baily 2, Brooks 2, Ivory 3, Black.
Hamilton Heights (90) – Massengill 9, Elizabeth Balogun 18, Treasure Hunt 22, R. Balogun, Williams, Rokia Doumbia 11, White 4, Amber Hunt 12, Kamilla Cordosa 16.
3-Point Goals – Memphis Central 2 (Cook 1, Massie 1), Hamilton Heights 8 (T. Hunt 4, A. Hunt 2, E. Balogun 1, Doumbia 1).
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)