Boys basketball roundup – Huskies fall in first game of new year

The Hamilton Heights boys team headed to Kokomo last Friday night for a Hoosier Conference East Division matchup against Northwestern.

Both teams have had a lengthy layoff since their last game action. Heights hasn’t played since splitting both games they played in a holiday tournament at Franklin County on Dec. 22 and the Tigers have been off since they lost at Maconaquah on Dec. 16.

Being off five more days seemed to have Northwestern just that much hungrier, as the Tigers defended their home court against the Huskies, 57-43.

The Huskies jumped out to a 12-11 lead after one. It stayed close throughout the first half, but the Tigers were able to grab a one-point lead at halftime, 22-21.

Northwestern busted open the scoring in the third with a 19-10 quarter that gave the Tigers a 41-31 double-digit lead.

Heights put forth a surge in the fourth, but couldn’t hold off the Tigers’ 16-12 push en route to a 57-43 home win over the Huskies.

Maddox Bohland led Heights with a team-high 19 points and made five steals. Sam Dawson followed with nine points on three from outside-the-arc. John Irion had eight and Tillman Etchison chipped in with seven.

Hamilton Heights (3-8, 1-2 Hoosier East) has now lost three of its last four. The Huskies will be off until Jan. 13 when they take a road trip to Lapel.

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Fishers dropped a 71-60 game at Pike last Friday.

The Red Devils led the Tigers 18-9 after one quarter and 35-24 at halftime. Fishers cut into Pike’s lead in the third period, getting with 49-42. Jalen Haralson and Millen McCartney both scored six points during that period, with McCartney hitting two 3-pointers. But the Red Devils pulled away in the fourth quarter by scoring 21 points.

Four Tigers reached double figures in scoring, led by Haralson’s 17 points. McCartney finished with four 3-pointers for 12 points, then Taden Metzger and Keenan Garner both had 11 points.

Fishers is 7-7 and plays at Brownsburg Friday in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference girls-boys doubleheader.

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University picked up a 51-44 win over Covenant Christian last Saturday at the U Center.

The Trailblazers led 13-10 after one quarter, with Sabien Cain making two 3-pointers. The Warriors came back to lead 20-19 at halftime, but University got back in front in the third quarter, leading 34-30 at the end of the quarter. Cain hit two more 3s and scored eight points in that period. University sealed the game with 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Cain finished with 20 points, while Andre Ozlowski scored 11. Bryce Gray and Kahmi Bracey both added six points, followed by five for Robert Russell and three for Zien Bland.

“Covenant is always tough and well-coached,” said University coach Brandon Lafferman. “I was very pleased with how we handled their physicality and grinded out a win against one of our sectional rivals. I thought Kahmi Bracey was outstanding all night defensively and Andre did a great job scoring the ball around the rim for us.”

The Blazers are 8-1 and play three road games this week, traveling to Shenandoah on Tuesday, Muncie Burris on Friday for a Pioneer Conference game, and Cardinal Ritter on Saturday.