Hamilton Heights put up a big fight against Class 4A Mount Vernon on Tuesday, including a record-setting performance from Gus Etchison.
The 3A Huskies battled the Marauders to the end before Mount Vernon won 80-71. It was the first loss of the season for Heights, which now holds a 3-1 record.
Etchison scored 56 points in the game, which breaks the old Hamilton Heights single-game record of 54 points. Rick McCoskey scored 54 back in 1971 when the Huskies played Eastern.
The Marauders led 20-13 after the first quarter, but Heights blasted back to lead 39-31 at halftime. Etchison scored 18 points in the second period alone.
Mount Vernon had the score tied at 50-50 by the end of the third quarter, then led 69-67 with 1:08 left. The Marauders finished the game with an 11-4 run.
Etchison achieved his 56 points on 19-of-34 shooting from the field, including seven 3-pointers. He was 11-of-12 from the free-throw line, and also collected 12 rebounds for a double-double.
Hudson Hochstedler had eight points for Heights, with Issiac Hickok pulling four rebounds.
The Huskies open Hoosier Conference play on Friday at Lewis Cass.
MOUNT VERNON 80, HAMILTON HEIGHTS 71
Heights FG FT TP PF
Gus Etchison 19-34 11-12 56 4
Camron Knott 0-6 0-0 0 0
Hudson Hochstedler 3-5 2-2 8 3
Brent Pennington 0-1 0-0 0 3
Lucas Letsinger 2-2 0-0 6 2
Luke Carroll 0-0 1-2 1 5
Isiaac Hickok 0-1 0-0 0 2
Noah Linville 0-1 0-0 0 0
Isaac Wilson 0-0 0-0 0 1
Rich Espinoza 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 24-50 14-16 71 20
Score by Quarters
Heights 13 26 11 21 – 71
Mount Vernon 20 11 19 30 – 80
Heights 3-point shooting (9-23) Etchison 7-13, Letsinger 2-2, Knott 0-5, Linville 0-1, Hickok 0-1, Pennington 0-1.
Heights rebounds (25) Etchison 12, Hickok 4, Knott 3, Wilson 2, Hochstedler 2, Letsinger 1, Pennington 1.