DANVILLE — Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin and Covington opened the boys basketball season with convincing wins at the 56th Annual Topper Classic on Monday night.
The Blue Devils, coming off 30-4 season a year ago that ended in the Class 2A sectional championship, was led in scoring by returning starters Keison Peoples (30) and Micah Stanford (19). Peoples had 12 points in the third quarter as Bis-Henn/Ross-Al turned its 13-point halftime advantage into a 58-32 lead after three quarters.
Joining Peoples and Stanford in double figures for BHRA was Ethan Dubois with 11. Karic Vitale was the leading scorer for Paris with 13, while Carter Eastham had 11.
In the second game on Monday night, Covington overcame a slow start to spoil the Schlarman Academy debut for first-year coach Zack Patterson with a 62-38 triumph.
The Trojans opened the second half with a 14-3 run to open a double-digit lead that they would never surrender. No official scoring statistics were available for Covington.
Jarrius Atkinson had a team-high 16 points for Hilltoppers, who were just 1-of-9 from the free-throw line in the first half.
The Topper Classic continues Tuesday night with Covington facing Paris at 6 p.m. and Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin playing Milford.
Thursday’s editions of the Commercial-News will have more on Monday’s action.
At Shebby Gymnasium
Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin 69, Paris 35
Paris (35) — Carter Crippes 2 0-0 4, Jackson Rigdon 1 2-2 5, Jacob Staley 1 0-0 2, Karic Vitale 5 3-8 13, Carter Eastham 5 1-2 11, Braylen Mills 0 0-0 0, Madox Hutchings 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 6-12 35.
Bis-Henn/Ross-Al (69) — Ethan Dubois 4 0-0 11, Micah Stanford 8 0-0 19, Keison Peoples 12 2-3 30, Payton Wallace 0 0-0 0, Caden Keleminic 2 0-0 5, Anderson Thomas 0 0-0 0, Noah Rice 1 0-0 2, Micah Tidwell 0 0-0 0, Mason Clapp 0 0-0 0, Dylan Farr 0 0-0 0, Darin Farr 1 1-1 3. Totals: 28 3-4 69.
Paris `10 `14 `8 `3 `— `35
BHRA `19 `18 `21 `9 `— `69
3-pointers — Paris 1 (Rigdon), Bis-Henn/Ross-Al 11 (Peoples 4, Dubois 3, Stanford 3). Total fouls — Paris 7, Bis-Henn/Ross-Al 18. Fouled out — none.
Records — Paris 0-1 overall. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin 1-0 overall.