The scoreless drought for both teams extended into the start of the third, but they quickly found themselves in a deep shooting battle not too long after. Harrison Stewart knocked down a trio of 3-pointers across 2:30 of game time, but two of those were answered from behind the arc by Griffith and Moller.
Spain Park drew within three off a steal with 2:17 left in the quarter, and Moller and Stewart traded 3-pointers shortly after to keep it at that margin.
However, the Hornets came out of a timeout and attacked the end of the third.
Chelsea first found Kindall on a long inbounds pass to score at the other end, and Moller made it a seven-point game with a finish through contact. Kindall finished off the quarter with another basket with four seconds left, and the 7-0 run to end the third put the Hornets up 44-34.
Chelsea’s defense took over and gave up no field goals and only allowed four points off free throws for the first three-and-a-half minutes of the fourth. Johnson took advantage with three baskets in a two-minute stretch, and Moller followed up the final one to lead 53-37 with 4:46 left.
Spain Park would not go away quietly though as Morrison drilled a deep ball with 4:21 left to cut it to 11. The Jags chipped away at the deficit at the free throw line ahead of another Stewart 3-pointer, which made it 55-48 ahead of a Chelsea timeout with 2:56 left.
That tension only increased as the only basket of the next minute was a close-range shot from Spain Park, making it a five-point game with 2:25 left.
Moller did make a free throw to break the drought, but the Hornets’ struggles from the field continued through a Morrison 3-pointer with 1:01 left. That shot made it a 56-53 deficit going into a timeout as the Jags chances of winning started looking greater.
However, Spain Park saw a ball roll out of bounds at midcourt off it, and the team couldn’t make a single basket the rest of the way. The Jags resorted to fouling to stay close, but three free throws from Johnson kicked off a 6-0 run at the line for the Hornets, which sealed the win.
In addition to Johnson’s game-high 21 points, Griffith scored 14 points and Moller finished with 13 points to give the Hornets three players in double figures. Kindall and Nathan also each scored on their senior night.
Stewart led Spain Park with 19 points, all of which came in the second half, including four 3-pointers. Morrison had 16 points off a trio of deep balls and five free throws, McQueeney scored eight points and Sam Fox finished with five points.
Chelsea improved to 6-14 overall and 1-1 in area play. The Hornets will finish their homestand on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. against the Helena Huskies before going on a three-game road stretch to finish area play.
Spain Park dropped to 14-7 overall and 0-2 in area play, and the Jags will look for their first area win on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. at Jag Arena when they host the undefeated No. 1 Pelham Panthers.