Hamilton Heights played an incredible game at Class 3A No. 2 Northwestern on Friday.
Unfortunately, an incredible shot won the game for the Tigers.
Northwestern and Heights were tied at 65-65 with seconds left in the fourth, when the Tigers’ Cameron Austin hit a buzzer-beater to give his team a 68-65 win. The basket kept Northwestern undefeated at 9-0, and handed the Huskies their first loss in Hoosier Conference play this season.
Heights led 22-18 after the first quarter, with AJ Field hitting two 3-pointers on his way to 10 points. The Tigers defense allowed the Huskies just four points in the second period, and allowed Northwestern to come back and lead 28-26 at halftime.
Both teams poured in the points in the third quarter, which ended with the Tigers up 51-50. Gus Etchison got hot in that period, scoring 13 points. The game remained close in the fourth quarter, until it was finally decided by the last-second basket.
Etchison finished the game with 28 points, including three 3-pointers, and four assists. Field reached double-double status with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Brent Pennington pulled five rebounds.
The Huskies are 2-1 in the conference’s East Division and 7-4 overall. Heights will play tonight at Twin Lakes.
Northwestern 68, Hamilton Heights 65
Heights FG FT TP PF
Gus Etchison 9-17 7-8 28 2
Issiac Hickok 1-5 0-0 3 2
Brent Pennington 3-5 0-0 8 2
AJ Field 9-18 0-0 20 3
Hudson Hochstedler 2-5 1-1 6 4
Cory Vonfeldt 0-6 0-0 0 2
Johnny Cambron 0-1 0-0 0 0
Totals 24-57 8-9 65 15
Score by Quarters
Heights 22 4 24 15 – 65
Northwestern 18 10 23 17 – 68
Heights 3-point shooting (9-29) Etchison 3-9, Field 2-8, Pennington 2-3, Hickok 1-5, Hochstedler 1-1, Vonfeldt 0-3.
Heights rebounds (24) Field 10, Pennington 5, Etchison 4, Hochstedler 3, Hickok 1, Cambron 1.