Ethan Watson nets 26 in Hillsboro win over Washington
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Hillsboro’s Ethan Watson was on point Monday night by scoring 26 points for the Indians, and his teammates followed as the Tribe gained the regular-season sweep over the Washington Blue Lions — plus snapped a seven-game losing streak — for a 63-52 Frontier Athletic Conference win.
Before Monday night, Hillsboro last gained a win on Jan. 20 at Adena, and they previously defeated the Blue Lions at Washington C.H. by a 71-66 score on Dec. 8.
The two meetings still aren’t enough for the two FAC teams as they will meet for a third time on Tuesday, Feb. 20 in the sectional round of the Division II tournament at Southeastern High School. The Indians currently stand at 7-13 overall, and the Blue Lions are 3-17 on the season.
[[In-content Ad]]
“This was a long time coming, but this was a great job after Friday night where we didn’t have our best showing,” HHS head coach Bruce Miles said. “We didn’t do anything right over there (at McClain), and that was probably the worst game we played all season. We were excited to get back out here and play tonight against a school we are very similar with in the Blue Lions.
“I’m just so happy with our effort. Our turnovers were very few, and we took care of the basketball. Ethan made some big shots for us. We talk about valuing the basketball, and if we do that, plus get the ball inside to our post players, we can be successful and competitive. Again, overall I’m just very pleased with our effort on both ends of the court.”
Watson and the Indians played the Blue Lions close in the first frame, but led by a 15-14 score in the quarter, as Mason Swayne, Watson and Phillip Mycroft combined for the scoring with Watson sinking a 3-pointer in the quarter along with a two-point basket. Swayne made two baskets in the quarter, and Mycroft totaled three buckets in the first.
Mycroft finished with 14 points for the Indians, and Swayne totaled 10 points to give the Indians three players in double figures.
Washington in the opening frame had scoring from Evan Upthegrove, Ross Matthews Jr., Garitt Leisure and Trevor Rarick, who combined for 14 points in the quarter.
Matthews led the Blue Lions with 15 points, followed by Upthegrove with 13 points and Rarick with 11 points, giving the Blue Lions three players in double figures as well.
In that first frame for the Blue Lions, Rarick sank a 3-pointer and a two-point bucket, while Matthews also sank a 3-pointer, Upthegrove scored four points in the first and Leisure had two points.
Washington took the lead to open the second quarter, and as both teams continued to answer each other’s baskets, the Indians tied the score at 21 following a bucket by Jakwon Clark at the 4:06 mark of the quarter.
The Blue Lions regained the lead with a 3-pointer from Upthegrove with 2:55 remaining in the first half, only to see the Indians finish the frame with seven straight points with a put-back basket from Mycroft, two points from Swayne and a 3-pointer by Watson for a 28-24 lead.
Hillsboro led the third frame by a single point at 19-18 as Watson scored 12 of Hillsboro’s 19 points, including sinking two 3-pointers in the frame, while Caleb Crawford also made a 3-pointer in the quarter and Mycroft sank two baskets for a 47-42 lead entering the fourth frame.
Washington in the third had nine points from Dillon Steward, four from Upthegrove, two from Leisure and a 3-pointer by Rarick.
The fourth frame saw HHS outscore the visiting Blue Lions, 16-10 with four points scored by Swayne, six from Watson, three from Crawford (his second 3-pointer of the game), two from Hayden Haines and one point by Mycroft.
Washington’s 10 points in the fourth saw a 3-pointer by Rarick (his third of the game), four points by Upthgrove, two points from Matthews Jr. and one point by Steward.
For the game, HHS finished 3-of-6 from the free-throw line with six total 3-pointers (four from Watson, two by Crawford). The Blue Lions were 5-of-8 from the free-throw line with seven 3-pointers.
Before Monday night, Hillsboro last gained a win on Jan. 20 at Adena, and they previously defeated the Blue Lions at Washington C.H. by a 71-66 score on Dec. 8.
The two meetings still aren’t enough for the two FAC teams as they will meet for a third time on Tuesday, Feb. 20 in the sectional round of the Division II tournament at Southeastern High School. The Indians currently stand at 7-13 overall, and the Blue Lions are 3-17 on the season.
[[In-content Ad]]
“This was a long time coming, but this was a great job after Friday night where we didn’t have our best showing,” HHS head coach Bruce Miles said. “We didn’t do anything right over there (at McClain), and that was probably the worst game we played all season. We were excited to get back out here and play tonight against a school we are very similar with in the Blue Lions.
“I’m just so happy with our effort. Our turnovers were very few, and we took care of the basketball. Ethan made some big shots for us. We talk about valuing the basketball, and if we do that, plus get the ball inside to our post players, we can be successful and competitive. Again, overall I’m just very pleased with our effort on both ends of the court.”
Watson and the Indians played the Blue Lions close in the first frame, but led by a 15-14 score in the quarter, as Mason Swayne, Watson and Phillip Mycroft combined for the scoring with Watson sinking a 3-pointer in the quarter along with a two-point basket. Swayne made two baskets in the quarter, and Mycroft totaled three buckets in the first.
Mycroft finished with 14 points for the Indians, and Swayne totaled 10 points to give the Indians three players in double figures.
Washington in the opening frame had scoring from Evan Upthegrove, Ross Matthews Jr., Garitt Leisure and Trevor Rarick, who combined for 14 points in the quarter.
Matthews led the Blue Lions with 15 points, followed by Upthegrove with 13 points and Rarick with 11 points, giving the Blue Lions three players in double figures as well.
In that first frame for the Blue Lions, Rarick sank a 3-pointer and a two-point bucket, while Matthews also sank a 3-pointer, Upthegrove scored four points in the first and Leisure had two points.
Washington took the lead to open the second quarter, and as both teams continued to answer each other’s baskets, the Indians tied the score at 21 following a bucket by Jakwon Clark at the 4:06 mark of the quarter.
The Blue Lions regained the lead with a 3-pointer from Upthegrove with 2:55 remaining in the first half, only to see the Indians finish the frame with seven straight points with a put-back basket from Mycroft, two points from Swayne and a 3-pointer by Watson for a 28-24 lead.
Hillsboro led the third frame by a single point at 19-18 as Watson scored 12 of Hillsboro’s 19 points, including sinking two 3-pointers in the frame, while Caleb Crawford also made a 3-pointer in the quarter and Mycroft sank two baskets for a 47-42 lead entering the fourth frame.
Washington in the third had nine points from Dillon Steward, four from Upthegrove, two from Leisure and a 3-pointer by Rarick.
The fourth frame saw HHS outscore the visiting Blue Lions, 16-10 with four points scored by Swayne, six from Watson, three from Crawford (his second 3-pointer of the game), two from Hayden Haines and one point by Mycroft.
Washington’s 10 points in the fourth saw a 3-pointer by Rarick (his third of the game), four points by Upthgrove, two points from Matthews Jr. and one point by Steward.
For the game, HHS finished 3-of-6 from the free-throw line with six total 3-pointers (four from Watson, two by Crawford). The Blue Lions were 5-of-8 from the free-throw line with seven 3-pointers.