Indians win at McClain; clinch share of SCOL title
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — What a week it has been for the Hillsboro Indians. Playing three games in a five-day span, the Indians not only increased their lead in the South Central Ohio League to where they clinched no less than a share of the league title, but gained back-to-back wins, and defeated their cross-county rival McClain Saturday night by a score of 58-41.
The Indians (13-4) have no less than a share of the league title, as they are 9-2 in the SCOL with one league game left on the schedule. HHS holds a one-game lead over the Clinton-Massie Falcons (7-3) as they have Miami Trace and the Indians remaining in SCOL play. If CM defeats the Panthers on Feb. 10, that will set up game where HHS can win the title outright with a win, or a CM can take a share of the title on Friday, Feb. 17 at HHS. If CM loses against MT, that will clinch the outright SCOL title for the Indians.
The win against the Tigers (2-8, 5-12) gives the Indians the season sweep over their cross-county rival, along with 10 consecutive wins against the Tigers.
"I couldn't be happier with our last two games," HHS head coach Brett Prince said. "Anytime you can get a win at McClain … it's huge. The kids came out, played hard, and got the job done.
"Our defense in the first half helped us build the lead. To hold a team to 10 points in the first half, you must be doing something right."
[[In-content Ad]]But no matter what the Indians are back-to-back league champions, as this week they lost to Miami Trace, but on Friday defeated Madison-Plains and won Saturday against MHS. Last season, the Indians were co-champions with MT.
The win against the Tigers was tricky to say the least following the first eight minutes, as the game resembled a chess match where each team tried to counter the other on the defensive side of the ball. After eight minutes the Indians led 6-4, as neither team could get into a groove offensively.
The first frame resembled what the Tigers want in a basketball game … defense. Eight game minutes later, the Indians took control of the game's tempo, leading 27-10, outscoring the host Tiger squad 21-6 in the second frame.
"It was kind of two-fold," MHS head coach Brent Eaton said. "They (Hillsboro) did a nice job of pressuring us, pressuring some of the guys who don't handle the pressure as well. Credit Hillsboro, we had turnovers and they scored points off those turnovers in the first half, and they scored 10 points off of offensive rebounds.
"It could have been a different ball game if we could have kept the slower tempo, but we had to change things around and had to play their style. We're not good enough to play that style. Hillsboro is a well-coached team."
HHS opened the second with points by Tyia Cumberland and a three-point play by Jarrod Hart for a 16-7 lead with 3:54 left in the quarter. Hart ended the game with 11 points.
"Jarrod is a very capable shooter, but he passes up on a lot of shots," Prince said. "There are times I wish he would shoot more, but he's capable of playing like he did (Saturday) every night."
Ryan Faulconer, who led the Tigers with 14 points, followed with two free throws for the Tigers, but the Tribe came back with a 3-pointer by Dévante Ames with 3:03 left on the clock, followed by free throws by Hart, putting the Indians ahead 12 points at 21-9.
After a free throw from Trey Lytle gave the Tigers their 10th point of the game, HHS ended the second with free throws by Christian Cundiff and a put-back basket by Ames with two seconds left on the clock.
"In that second quarter, we got in foul trouble and had to go to a smaller lineup," Prince said. "We spread the floor, and we got some drives going to the open player."
Following the halftime break, the Indians led by 22 points after the third at 47-25, as HHS outscored the Tigers, 20-15.
The third opened up with points from Ames, but Faulconer answered for the Tigers. Again, Ames scored, this time a three-point play with 7:12 left in the quarter, and one minute later Tyrand Cumberland sank a 3-pointer, putting the Indians in the driver's seat at 35-14.
Ames led all scorers with a game-high 18 points.
"Devanté could probably start on a lot of teams, but I really like the role he plays as our sixth man," Prince said. "We know when he comes into the game, something is going to change. He adds a lot of quickness to our line up, allowing us to go to more of a transition game."
McClain's Brent Shannon, who tallied 11 points, answered the 3-pointer with a trey of his own, but the Indians' lead was just too much for MHS to overcome as the teams exchanged points for the rest of the quarter, with Cundiff ending the quarter on a layup at the buzzer, off a lob pass by Gilliland.
MHS outscored the Indians in the fourth at 16-11, but it was too late for the Tigers.
Scoring points in the fourth for the Indians were Tyrand Cumberland, Hart, Trevor Gleadle, Gilliland, Táron Captain and Cundiff.
"(Tyrand) Cumberland is a fantastic kid," Eaton said. "He's an unbelievable kid, and I love talking to him, and he played with poise … we need somebody like that, somebody who plays like that in the future."
For the Tigers in the fourth, they made three 3-pointers from Bryce Duff, Shannon and Lytle. Also adding points for the Tigers in the quarter were Faulconer and Jeremiah Savage.
"The bottom line is Hillsboro played better than we did, and they deserve the credit," Eaton said.
The Tigers play again on Friday, Feb. 10 when they host the Madison-Plains Golden Eagles.
HHS will take the court again on Tuesday in a non-league game at Lynchburg-Clay.
GAME NOTES: MHS was 7-of-14 (50 percent) from the free-throw line … MHS totaled three 3-pointers … There was one technical foul on the Tigers … HHS was 15-of-24 (62 percent) from the free-throw line … MHS totaled 20 fouls … HHS totaled 17 fouls … HHS won the opening tip-off … HHS took two charges, MHS took one … In the fourth, HHS was 6-of-14 from the free-throw line … MHS was 1-of-3 from the free-throw line in the second half … In the first half, MHS was 6-of-11 from the free-throw line, and HHS was 7-of-10 … In their first meeting of the season, the Indians won 53-33.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY QUARTERS
HHS 06 21 20 11 — 58
MHS 04 06 15 16 — 41
INDIVIDUAL STATS
HHS (58)
T.Moberly 0 (0) 0-1 0
Tyr.Cumberland 0 (1) 1-2 4
D.Ames 6 (1) 3-4 18
J.Hart 3 (1) 2-7 11
T.Gleadle 2 (0) 1-2 5
C.Gilliland 2 (0) 2-2 4
T.Captain 3 (0) 1-2 7
C.Cundiff 1 (0) 4-4 6
Tia.Cumberland 1 (0) 1-2 3
TOTALS: 17 (3) 15-24 58
MHS (41)
B.Duff 1 (0) 0-0 3
B.Shannon 2 (2) 1-1 11
T.Lytle 0 (1) 1-2 4
R.Faulconer 6 (0) 2-5 14
J.Turner 1 (0) 2-2 4
T.McGuire 0 (0) 0-1 0
J.Savage 1 (0) 0-1 2
E.Mustard 1 (0) 1-2 3
TOTALS: 12 (3) 7-14 41
The Indians (13-4) have no less than a share of the league title, as they are 9-2 in the SCOL with one league game left on the schedule. HHS holds a one-game lead over the Clinton-Massie Falcons (7-3) as they have Miami Trace and the Indians remaining in SCOL play. If CM defeats the Panthers on Feb. 10, that will set up game where HHS can win the title outright with a win, or a CM can take a share of the title on Friday, Feb. 17 at HHS. If CM loses against MT, that will clinch the outright SCOL title for the Indians.
The win against the Tigers (2-8, 5-12) gives the Indians the season sweep over their cross-county rival, along with 10 consecutive wins against the Tigers.
"I couldn't be happier with our last two games," HHS head coach Brett Prince said. "Anytime you can get a win at McClain … it's huge. The kids came out, played hard, and got the job done.
"Our defense in the first half helped us build the lead. To hold a team to 10 points in the first half, you must be doing something right."
[[In-content Ad]]But no matter what the Indians are back-to-back league champions, as this week they lost to Miami Trace, but on Friday defeated Madison-Plains and won Saturday against MHS. Last season, the Indians were co-champions with MT.
The win against the Tigers was tricky to say the least following the first eight minutes, as the game resembled a chess match where each team tried to counter the other on the defensive side of the ball. After eight minutes the Indians led 6-4, as neither team could get into a groove offensively.
The first frame resembled what the Tigers want in a basketball game … defense. Eight game minutes later, the Indians took control of the game's tempo, leading 27-10, outscoring the host Tiger squad 21-6 in the second frame.
"It was kind of two-fold," MHS head coach Brent Eaton said. "They (Hillsboro) did a nice job of pressuring us, pressuring some of the guys who don't handle the pressure as well. Credit Hillsboro, we had turnovers and they scored points off those turnovers in the first half, and they scored 10 points off of offensive rebounds.
"It could have been a different ball game if we could have kept the slower tempo, but we had to change things around and had to play their style. We're not good enough to play that style. Hillsboro is a well-coached team."
HHS opened the second with points by Tyia Cumberland and a three-point play by Jarrod Hart for a 16-7 lead with 3:54 left in the quarter. Hart ended the game with 11 points.
"Jarrod is a very capable shooter, but he passes up on a lot of shots," Prince said. "There are times I wish he would shoot more, but he's capable of playing like he did (Saturday) every night."
Ryan Faulconer, who led the Tigers with 14 points, followed with two free throws for the Tigers, but the Tribe came back with a 3-pointer by Dévante Ames with 3:03 left on the clock, followed by free throws by Hart, putting the Indians ahead 12 points at 21-9.
After a free throw from Trey Lytle gave the Tigers their 10th point of the game, HHS ended the second with free throws by Christian Cundiff and a put-back basket by Ames with two seconds left on the clock.
"In that second quarter, we got in foul trouble and had to go to a smaller lineup," Prince said. "We spread the floor, and we got some drives going to the open player."
Following the halftime break, the Indians led by 22 points after the third at 47-25, as HHS outscored the Tigers, 20-15.
The third opened up with points from Ames, but Faulconer answered for the Tigers. Again, Ames scored, this time a three-point play with 7:12 left in the quarter, and one minute later Tyrand Cumberland sank a 3-pointer, putting the Indians in the driver's seat at 35-14.
Ames led all scorers with a game-high 18 points.
"Devanté could probably start on a lot of teams, but I really like the role he plays as our sixth man," Prince said. "We know when he comes into the game, something is going to change. He adds a lot of quickness to our line up, allowing us to go to more of a transition game."
McClain's Brent Shannon, who tallied 11 points, answered the 3-pointer with a trey of his own, but the Indians' lead was just too much for MHS to overcome as the teams exchanged points for the rest of the quarter, with Cundiff ending the quarter on a layup at the buzzer, off a lob pass by Gilliland.
MHS outscored the Indians in the fourth at 16-11, but it was too late for the Tigers.
Scoring points in the fourth for the Indians were Tyrand Cumberland, Hart, Trevor Gleadle, Gilliland, Táron Captain and Cundiff.
"(Tyrand) Cumberland is a fantastic kid," Eaton said. "He's an unbelievable kid, and I love talking to him, and he played with poise … we need somebody like that, somebody who plays like that in the future."
For the Tigers in the fourth, they made three 3-pointers from Bryce Duff, Shannon and Lytle. Also adding points for the Tigers in the quarter were Faulconer and Jeremiah Savage.
"The bottom line is Hillsboro played better than we did, and they deserve the credit," Eaton said.
The Tigers play again on Friday, Feb. 10 when they host the Madison-Plains Golden Eagles.
HHS will take the court again on Tuesday in a non-league game at Lynchburg-Clay.
GAME NOTES: MHS was 7-of-14 (50 percent) from the free-throw line … MHS totaled three 3-pointers … There was one technical foul on the Tigers … HHS was 15-of-24 (62 percent) from the free-throw line … MHS totaled 20 fouls … HHS totaled 17 fouls … HHS won the opening tip-off … HHS took two charges, MHS took one … In the fourth, HHS was 6-of-14 from the free-throw line … MHS was 1-of-3 from the free-throw line in the second half … In the first half, MHS was 6-of-11 from the free-throw line, and HHS was 7-of-10 … In their first meeting of the season, the Indians won 53-33.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY QUARTERS
HHS 06 21 20 11 — 58
MHS 04 06 15 16 — 41
INDIVIDUAL STATS
HHS (58)
T.Moberly 0 (0) 0-1 0
Tyr.Cumberland 0 (1) 1-2 4
D.Ames 6 (1) 3-4 18
J.Hart 3 (1) 2-7 11
T.Gleadle 2 (0) 1-2 5
C.Gilliland 2 (0) 2-2 4
T.Captain 3 (0) 1-2 7
C.Cundiff 1 (0) 4-4 6
Tia.Cumberland 1 (0) 1-2 3
TOTALS: 17 (3) 15-24 58
MHS (41)
B.Duff 1 (0) 0-0 3
B.Shannon 2 (2) 1-1 11
T.Lytle 0 (1) 1-2 4
R.Faulconer 6 (0) 2-5 14
J.Turner 1 (0) 2-2 4
T.McGuire 0 (0) 0-1 0
J.Savage 1 (0) 0-1 2
E.Mustard 1 (0) 1-2 3
TOTALS: 12 (3) 7-14 41