In four days, the Hamilton Heights girls basketball team has played five games and won two tournaments.
How’s that for a win streak?
Actually, the Huskies’ win streak is up to nine, as Heights kept its unbeaten record intact by triumphing at the Lebanon Tiger Girls Holiday Classic early this week. The Huskies won two easy games Monday to advance to the Tuesday championship, where they beat the host Tigers 43-34.
Lebanon led Heights 10-6 after the first quarter of the final game, but the Huskies took control in the second period and led 18-13 at halftime. Camryn Runner hit two 3-pointers during that period.
The Huskies got up 28-20 by the end of the third period, with Jillian Osswald adding six points and MyKayla Moran scoring four. The fourth quarter was tight, but Heights clinched the win at the free-throw line – Runner went 8-for-8 from the line and Osswald was 2-for-2.
Runner finished the game with 14 points, while Moran scored 11 and Osswald added eight.
In their first-round game on Monday, Heights cruised past Perry Meridian 39-17, its best defensive effort since Feb. 2, 2019, when the Huskies held Muncie Burris to 16 points in a sectional game.
Heights was never troubled by the Falcons, leading 10-4 after the first period and 18-6 at halftime. Osswald and Moran both scored 10 points; Osswald made two 3s.
The Huskies beat Lowell 52-30 in the semi-finals. Heights again was in control from the beginning, going up 15-5 in the first quarter and 33-11 at halftime. Runner had an outrageous game, draining nine 3-pointers on her way to 31 points.
“Being able to win three games for the championship was a total team effort,” said Heights coach Keegan Cherry. “Our girls played very unselfish basketball and competed hard the entire tournament. And hats off to my staff, they put in lots of hours preparing. We continue trying to play catch-up in terms of the COVID-19 quarantines and the game reps we’ve gotten in these last two tournaments have been great for us. Things we cannot replicate in practice.
“I’m really proud of the character of this team. Everyone is embracing their role and is for each other. Camryn Runner was a beast the entire tournament and earned the tournament MVP. Jillian Osswald was selected to the all-tournament team.”
The Huskies are now 9-0 for the season and host Winchester on Saturday afternoon.
FIRST ROUND GAME
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 39, PERRY MERIDIAN 17
Heights FG FT TP PF
Ella Hickok 1 2-2 4 0
Jillian Osswald 3 2-2 10 1
Camryn Runner 2 2-4 7 1
Syd Runyan 2 0-0 4 2
MyKayla Moran 5 0-0 10 0
Kaylee Rhoton 2 0-0 4 1
Hadleigh Cherry 0 0-0 0 1
Rachel Hunter 0 0-0 0 0
Alayna Baber 0 0-0 0 1
Totals 15 6-8 39 7
Score by Quarters
Heights 10 8 14 7 – 39
Perry Meridian 4 2 3 8 – 17
Heights 3-pointers (3) Osswald 2, Runner 1.
SEMI-FINAL GAME
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 52, LOWELL 30
Heights FG FT TP PF
Ella Hickok 2 0-0 4 2
Jillian Osswald 3 0-0 7 1
Camryn Runner 10 2-2 31 1
Syd Runyan 2 0-0 4 2
MyKayla Moran 0 1-2 1 3
Kaylee Rhoton 1 2-2 5 2
Hadleigh Cherry 0 0-0 0 0
Rachel Hunter 0 0-0 0 0
Megan Ottinger 0 0-0 0 0
Alayna Baber 0 0-0 0 1
Totals 18 5-6 52 12
Score by Quarters
Heights 15 18 10 9 – 52
Lowell 5 6 15 4 – 30
Heights 3-pointers (11) Runner 9, Osswald 1, Cherry 1.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 43, LEBANON 34
Heights FG FT TP PF
Ella Hickok 2 0-1 5 0
Jillian Osswald 2 4-5 8 0
Camryn Runner 2 8-8 14 3
Syd Runyan 0 2-2 2 3
MyKayla Moran 4 3-4 11 2
Kaylee Rhoton 1 0-0 3 3
Hadleigh Cherry 0 0-0 0 0
Totals 11 17-20 43 11
Score by Quarters
Heights 6 12 10 15 – 43
Lebanon 10 3 7 14 – 34
Heights 3-pointers (4) Runner 2, Hickok 1, Rhoton 1.