The Southwest County boys basketball rivalry between Cave Spring and Hidden Valley has a couple reliable standards.
Throw the record books out the window, and always expect an exciting game.
Everything played out to form Friday night at the packed Cave Spring gym as the Knights held on down the stretch to claim the 62-57 thriller over the Titans.
“The big rivalry which has impact for the players,” Cave Spring head coach Billy Hicks pointed out. “Add it being on Friday night and it becomes a really big game with a huge crowd.”
The Knights came out on fire and it looked like the full house may have a good excuse for an early exit but Hidden Valley made sure the seats stayed occupied until the final buzzer.
Cave Spring could do no wrong in the opening quarter. Riding a hot shooting hand and dominating on the boards, the Knights scored the game’s first seven points. After Hidden Valley senior Massi Flicci got the Titans off the goose egg with a short jumper more than two minutes in, Cave Spring ran off ten straight for a 17-2 lead. Luke Marston hit one-of-two free throws late in the quarter for the only other Titan point and the Knights went to the second frame ahead 19-3.
Hall of Fame Hidden Valley coach Troy Wells regrouped his squad during the break, and the Titans began their comeback.
Hidden Valley went on an 11-3 spurt to begin the second quarter, and chipped away to close to within 26-25 in the final minute. Cave Spring’s Cager Hicks hit a free throw to close the first half scoring, sending the Knights to the locker room up 27-25.
“We knew Hidden Valley would make a run,” Hicks said. “We had some defensive breakdowns and the lead just got away.”
Cave Spring restored their lead to 37-32 midway through the third, but J.J. DeVaughn answered for Hidden Valley when he scored and was fouled with 4:18 left in the quarter. The old fashioned three point play got the Titans to within one possession of tying or taking the lead, but Hidden Valley missed opportunities to get over the hump in the ensuing two minutes, missing 3-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Camden Sine got the Titans to within 39-38 late in the quarter, but the Knights finished on a 5-0 run to head to the fourth quarter ahead 44-38.
Two straight Knight turnovers midway through the final frame resulted in Hidden Valley baskets that closed the gap to 51-49. Cave Spring got a break moments later when sophomore Brody Hicks’ 3-pointer from the left corner got a kind carom high off the rim and fell cleanly through the net for a 54-49 Knight advantage.
Hidden Valley again got to within a single point at 56-55 when Sine swished a 3-pointer from in front of the Titan bench with 1:22 remaining.
Cave Spring clinched the game down the stretch, hitting 6-of-7 free throws as the Titans could never muster a score that would turn the tide.
“We need to find a way to finish,” Wells noted afterward. “I told them (his players) there are people who wish things would happen, there are people who wondered what happened, and there are people who make things happen. We have to make great plays in the last two minutes to get over the hump.”
“We got out-hustled at the start and weren’t aggressive or smart,” Wells added. “The last three quarters we competed.”
“We had the lead and made free throws at the end, “Hicks noted. “It’s hard for a team to come back when you do that.”
Adam Sledd had a game-high 22 points for Cave Spring. Cager Hicks added 19 with Brody Hicks chipping in 10. Sledd and Cager Hicks were a combined 11-of-13 from the free throw line, shooting all but one attempt by the Knights.
Sine and Marston each netted 14 points to lead Hidden Valley. DeVaughn added 12 for the Titans.
– Bill Turner
Bill Turner
