The Hamilton Heights boys basketball team won a hard-fought game with Lapel 70-69 Wednesday at the Husky Dome.
Heights led 16-9 after the first quarter, and held off the Bulldogs as they continued to inch their way back. The Huskies were able to stay at least a basket ahead of Lapel in the fourth quarter, and made one last defensive stop at the end of the game.
“We did what it takes to pull one out,” said Heights coach Chad Ballenger. “I felt like we could’ve separated ourselves a little bit more if we could’ve put a few more defensive stops. But overall, to beat a program like that, you got to be happy.”
Gus Etchison and Drayden Thomas both scored 16 points for the Huskies. Thomas had a sensational second quarter, draining three 3-pointers and getting 13 of his points in that period. Thomas then made a fourth ‘3’ in the third quarter.
Caleb Bean added 11 points; Ballenger credited him with making some big blocks defensively. AJ Field added nine points and Camron Knott scored seven.
“Every time we hit a 3, we gave up a 3, so it was a game of runs,” said Ballenger. “But we were able to get the last one, and we got a defensive stop when we needed to. It was a good team win. I thought we had a lot of guys step up different times.”
Thomas finished the game with five rebounds. Etchison dished out five assists and also made five steals.
The Huskies are 6-7 for the season and travel to Sheridan on Saturday.
Heights 70, Lapel 69
Heights FG FT TP PF
Max Beale 1-6 0-2 3 4
Drayden Thomas 6-11 0-0 16 1
Gus Etchison 4-8 8-10 16 0
Caleb Bean 4-8 3-3 11 4
Tyler Wiltermood 1-1 1-2 3 2
Michael Cross 0-1 2-2 2 1
Camron Knott 3-7 0-0 7 1
AJ Field 3-6 1-2 9 0
Hudson Hochstedler 1-1 0-0 3 1
Totals 23-49 15-21 70 14
Score by Quarters
Lapel 9 21 22 17 – 69
Heights 16 20 20 14 – 70
Heights 3-point shooting (9-18) Thomas 4-6, Field 2-3, Knott 1-4, Beale 1-3, Hochstedler 1-1, Etchison 0-1.
Heights rebounds (19) Thomas 5, Cross 3, Beale 2, Knott 2, Etchison 2, Bean 2, Wiltermood 2, Field 1.
Hamilton Heights’ Tyler Wiltermood stays strong in the face of Lapel’s triple-team during the Huskies-Bulldogs game Wednesday at the Husky Dome. (Richie Hall)