Hillsboro wraps up perfect week
Basketball teams finish 4-0, sweeping Hoisington, Lyons
Staff writer
It took traveling a lot of miles in a three-day span in not so fantastic weather, but the Trojan basketball teams did something they’d yet to do this season; complete a perfect week.
After picking up a pair of wins Tuesday at Hoisington, the Trojans traveled icy roads Friday to sweep the Lyons Lions.
With sub-state starting Monday at Eskridge-Mission Valley, the girls may be playing their best basketball of the year at the right time.
Of the girls’ 13 losses, the Dec. 7 one in which the Lions came from behind for a 38-34 win could rank near the top of season-heartbreakers.
The Trojans avenged the loss easily, getting a balanced scoring attack to tame the Lyons, 58-38, and improve to 6-13.
It wasn’t the flashiest of games for the boys, but the Lions didn’t pose much threat with Hillsboro winning its second straight, 62-50.
Hillsboro is still in the running with Marion for a number-two seed at the Marion sub-state.
Girls
While things haven’t been the easiest for Hillsboro since the December crusher, they haven’t been for the Lions, either, dropping six of their last seven games.
The Trojans got about as good a game as they’ve had all year, going all four quarters shooting over 30 percent from the floor, and committing less than 15 turnovers.
“The girls played a great game Friday,” coach Nathan Hiebert said. “We won all four quarters, which was fantastic.
“We have had games that we play well for three quarters, but really struggle in one period and this game felt like the girls played solid all game long.”
The Lions suffered through the performance that’s haunted the Trojans’ throughout the year, going the entire second half shooting under 20 percent — 29 on the night, committing 21 turnovers.
Teegan Werth scored a game-high 17 points and Kinsey Kleiner added 15 as the Trojans got production from nine players.
That allowed Hillsboro to stay in command the entire game, building a 32-22 lead at halftime.
The Trojans’ 34 points in the paint made for a season-high 39 percent shooting on the night with Hillsboro scoring 12 points off Lyons’ mistakes.
Hillsboro stretched its lead to 48-33 to start the fourth quarter, allowing Hiebert to fully utilize his bench.
Scoring summary: Werth, 17 points, Kleiner, 15; Tuesday Weisbeck, 6; Dani Klein, 4; Jessica Saunders, 4; Addie Berens, 4; Eva Franz, 3; Mallory Ediger, 3; Emersyn Funk, 2.
Boys
The first meeting wasn’t the greatest, and the second one wasn’t either.
Luckily, the Trojans’ 34-18 lead at halftime kept the Lions from ever posing much of a threat, just like the previous meeting.
Even with Darian Ratzlaff back in the lineup from injury, it didn’t matter much other than a game-high 5 assists and 6 points.
Foul trouble slowed Hillsboro down with Wes Shaw eventually fouling out with 12 points and just four rebounds.
Caleb Rempel and Matthew Potucek combined for 21 points with 11, and 10.
Lyons caught fire the third quarter, knocking down 50 percent of its shots to pull to within 48-38 to start the fourth quarter.
Trey McClure gashed Hillsboro for a game-high 20 points, keeping the Lions within striking distance.
Hillsboro warmed up to shoot 71 percent the fourth quarter on 5-of-7 — 42 for the game to grind out the victory and move to 14-7 on the year.
The Trojans limited the Lions to just 33 percent shooting and out-rebounded them, 36-28, with Brooks Gardner pulling down a game-high seven.
Scoring summary: Shaw, 12 points; Rempel, 11; M. Potucek, 10; Jorge Hanschu, 8; D. Ratzlaff, 6; Gardner, 6; Caleb Potucek, 5; Avery Unruh, 3; Grayson Ratzlaff, 1.