Eagles Light Up Cuba In Season Opener

Cody McKinney scored 26 points and sank eight 3’s and Landon Hoffman supplied 16 points and knocked down four treys on Monday as Sullivan blitzed Cuba 78-28 in their season opener.

The Eagles (1-0) notched their highest point total since November 28, 2016 when they dropped 77 on Bourbon.

McKinney’s eighth and final 3-pointer of the night came with 5:25 left in the third quarter, giving Sullivan a 63-19 lead. 

Sullivan’s starters came off the court after the next stoppage.

The Eagles demonstrated their marksmanship from the perimeter. Besides McKinney and Hoffman, six other Sullivan players connected on 3-pointers.

Overall, the Eagles shot 53 percent (18-34) from beyond the arc and 49 percent from the floor.

Sullivan had 19 assists on 27 buckets. McKinney led the way with five, while Austin Frye and Jacob Hatcher had three.

Carter Adams and Cameron Cunningham each scored seven points. Frye and Austin Lewis had five. Dallas Blankenship and Austin Orick scored three. Hatcher, Jacob Rohrer and Colton Ward finished with two.

Sullivan played at a fast pace and were aggressive on the defensive end, collecting 18 steals.

The Eagles led 11-6 through the first three minutes, but McKinney’s 3 from the top of the key initiated a 20-0 run to end the period.

Hoffman drove inside for a bucket, then on the next trip down, nailed a 3-pointer off an offensive rebound by Adams.

McKinney’s third trey of the quarter came from the corner with 2:34 remaining to give Sullivan a 24-6 lead. 

Adams scored the final five points of the period on a basket inside, then a 3-pointer with 23 seconds to go.

Cuba ended a five-plus minute scoring drought with a free throw to begin the second period. Sullivan responded with a 3-pointer by Hoffman, then a drive and pull-up 3 by McKinney. Frye finished a layup in transition to create a 41-7 lead. 

The Wildcats got a brief spark by Simon Siebert, who had a 3-pointer and a reverse layup.

The momentum swung back to Sullivan with five quick points by Hoffman. Adams was fouled on a 3-point attempt and converted two free throws. The Eagles led 48-14. 

McKinney would sink two more 3’s in a 29-second span. Sullivan carried a 54-19 lead into the half.

The intermission didn’t slow the Eagles down. McKinney hoisted up two 3’s and Lewis sank a trey in the first three minutes. Up 63-19, Sullivan went to their reserves. 

Cunningham added to the lead with two free throws and a 3-pointer. Blankenship came off the bench to drop in another triple for the Eagles.

Cuba nearly went scoreless through the period, but got a basket with 40 seconds left. Sullivan led 73-21 after three quarters. Cuba outscored Sullivan’s reserves 7-5 in the fourth quarter. 

Sullivan Independent News

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