CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Rossview Hawks boys basketball team took a trip to “The Castle” at Kenwood High School for a matchup with the Knights on Friday. The Knights led wire to wire, and used physical defense to pull out the win, 64-54.

Early on, the difference was in the paint, with the Knights physical down-low presence on both ends of the floor being critical. Forwards Jacoby Cox and Davon Martin combined for 19 points in the first half, and gave Kenwood a 30-19 halftime lead.

The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)
The Kenwood Knights defeated the Rossview Hawks on December 13, 2024. (Jeff Danault)

Knights head coach Chase Cronin said defense especially was the reason his team was able to build that lead. “The little things defensively helped us a lot,” said Cronin. “It was a complex game plan, and our guys bought in to it, and followed it to a T. Offensively we were able to have success getting to the basket, we just need to learn how to close out teams.”

The Knights extended their lead to 22 points by the end of the third quarter. While Rossview mounted a comeback in the fourth, highlighted by 12 points from Evan Deal, it was too little too late.

MORE: Rossview Lady Hawks’ scoring effort pushes them past Kenwood | PHOTOS

Rossview head coach Johnny Jackson said his team needed to play the way they did in the fourth earlier in games.

“The first three quarters we didn’t really play as a team,” said Jackson. “They were very good defensively and we didn’t respond to it. We competed well, it just didn’t go our way.”

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