Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kemp point guard Josiah Young looks for a teammate after crossing mid-court.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kemp’s Aiden Fitzhugh follows through with a jump shot over Robinson defenders.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kemp’s Aiden Fitzhugh follows through with a jump shot over Robinson defenders.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kemp’s Carter Sullivan keeps his eye on the ball dribbled by a Waco Robinson player.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Justin McCool of Kemp puts the ball on the floor before making his next move.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kaysen Stevenson of Kemp lays in a basket after making a steal against Robinson.

KEMP–A fast and furious final fourth period between the Kemp Yellowjackets boys’ basketball team and the visiting Waco Robinson Rockets Nov. 26 ended with a Rocket rally that allowed Robinson to win 57-55.
Kemp led 39-37 entering the fourth period. Early in the final quarter, Robinson took a 45-39 lead fueled by a series of Yellowjacket turnovers. Josiah Young of Kemp made a jumper with 6:18 left in the game to get the Yellowjackets back within 43-41, but Robinson scored the next 5 points to go up 46-41, leading to a Kemp timeout.
Jose Morales made one Kemp free throw 10 seconds after the timeout to reduce Robinson’s lead to 46-42. Later, Young made two free throws and grabbed an inbounds-pass steal and put in a quick basket to put Kemp down by 4, at 50-46. Daltyn Irvin added two more Kemp free throws to get within 50-48, then Kaysen Stevenson stole the ball and made another fast bucket to tie the game at 50-50 with 2:35 remaining.
After Robinson scored a hoop, Young stole the ball and made a Kemp basket to tie the game again, at 52-52. Justin McCool got another Kemp steal and was fouled, making one free throw to put the Yellowjackets ahead 53-52. Morales found Stevenson underneath for a basket with 53 seconds left in the contest, increasing Kemp’s advantage to 55-52.
Robinson scored the next two baskets, the last one with 16 seconds remaining in the game, then added a free throw with 4 seconds on the clock to secure their 57-55 victory.
Early in the game, Kemp built a 20-5 lead after the first period. Robinson reduced the Kemp margin to 21-16 in the second period. Aiden Fitzhugh of Kemp made a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 52 seconds left in the first half, which built the Yellowjacket lead at that point to 28-18, but Robinson scored the final 5 points of the half to get within 28-23 at intermission.
In the third period, Young found Fitzhugh underneath for a bucket, then Fitzhugh’s steal and basket quickly extended Kemp’s third-period advantage to 32-23, which tightened later to set up the battle in the final round.
Young led Kemp with 19 points, followed by Fitzhugh with 14 points, Morales with 12 points, Payton Stevenson’s 5 points, Kaysen Stevenson and Irvin each adding 2 points, and McCool’s 1 point.