Hillsboro Indians win share of FAC championship; defeat Miami Trace in OT
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
EBER — Before the start of the 2020-21 season, second-year Hillsboro head coach Miles Burton said the team goals of the Indians were to have a winning record, to win a conference championship and to compete at districts, as all three goals have eluded the program in recent memory.
Following Saturday night’s 64-58 overtime win against the host Miami Trace Panthers, two of those three goals made by the Indians can now officially be checked off the list, as the Indians with the aforementioned victory capped their regular season with a winning record for the first time since 2012, no less than a co-FAC championship, and it was the Indians’ 14th consecutive win.
All in all, the Indians did what they went to Fayette County to do, but it wasn’t easy as the Panthers battled back and forced overtime in the final minutes of regulation, with the score being tied at 44. Then when overtime arrived, the entire game for the Indians completely took a turn in their favor.
“These guys battled,” Burton said. “Playing for a league championship at somebody else’s court, with all the pressure on you — we don’t hide from it. Maybe that’s right, maybe that’s wrong, but this was our goal, and we wanted to come in here and get it done.
“Give Miami Trace credit, they did a lot of things very, very well. Our kids, they played hard. I’m unbelievably proud of those guys.”
Overtime began with senior Ryan Scott knocking down a 3-pointer — he totaled five for the game — for Hillsboro, improving their lead to three points, with the assist from Jakwon Clark. Miami Trace answered with a jumper from Logan Rodgers at the 3:12 mark, making Hillsboro’s lead just one point. Rodgers led the Panthers with 20 points, including three 3-pointers.
Scott — who led the Indians with 23 points — answered those points with two converted free throws for the Indians with 2:57 left in the OT period, moving the Indians’ lead to 49-46.
From that point on, the defense of the Indians stepped up, with a timely rebound from junior Quintin Captain allowing the Indians to take away a second chance opportunity by the Panthers, and the Indians capitalized on that defensive play.
After the rebound by Captain at the 2:32 mark, Clark was left wide open near the corner of the court, behind the three-point line, and he made the Panthers pay with a 3-pointer at the 2:19 mark of overtime, lifting the Indians’ lead to six points. Though Miami Trace answered with two points from Rodgers, the Indians — and especially Clark — weren’t finished adding to their lead.
Clark, who totaled 17 points in the win, ended up in the same exact spot. In a feeling of déjà vu, Clark — once again left open — sank another 3-pointer, but this time as he was shooting the basketball for the trifecta, Clark had a slight grin on his face as he made his second 3-pointer in a span of less than a minute.
Clark’s 3-pointer put the Indians ahead 55-48 with 1:35 left on the scoreboard at Miami Trace.
“Jakwon Clark was ridiculous,” Burton said. “Ridiculous. That’s probably the best game I’ve ever seen him play in my life.”
Hillsboro’s defense wasn’t finished yet, as Captain stole the basketball and was fouled, sending the junior to the free-throw line. Captain converted both free-throw opportunities, pushing the Indians’ lead to nine points with 1:11 left in OT.
The rest of the way, both teams changed baskets for free throws, and in the end it was the Indians standing tall with the victory, finishing the FAC season at 9-1.
Hillsboro has a chance to win the title outright but will need some help as the Jackson Ironmen are 7-1 in the FAC with two games left on their schedule. The Ironmen — who split the season series with the Indians — will be hosting the McClain Tigers Feb. 16, and a makeup game with Chillicothe has been rescheduled for Feb. 20.
Regulation for the Indians and Panthers on Saturday night saw the Panthers double up the Indians in the first frame, with Miami Trace outscoring the Indians, 14-7 after one frame. Both the Indians and Panthers each exchanged 3-pointers to start what was a physical game with Scott sinking the basket for HHS, and Cameron Moore adding three for the Panthers. Moore ended the game with 12 points.
MT took lead following two points by Braden Osborne, but a 3-pointer, and later a free throw, from Hillsboro senior Lawton Parry left the Indians in front with a 7-5 advantage. Parry totaled four points for the Indians. Osborne totaled 12 points for the game for MTHS.
Miami Trace broke away with nine straight points in the final 3:56 of the first with a 3-pointer from Dylan Bernard and points in the paint by Andrew Guthrie, Ethan Steele and Rodgers.
Though the Indians were held to just seven points in the first quarter, the tide turned for Hillsboro in the second quarter, this time with the Indians outscoring Miami Trace, 19-7 in the eight-minute frame, taking a halftime lead along the way at 26-21.
It took until the 1:20 mark of the second quarter for Hillsboro to tie the score at 21 when Clark grabbed the loose ball and went on a fast break for two points and the basket. The Indians took away the lead from Miami Trace with a 3-pointer by Scott with 32 seconds left in the second for a 24-21 lead. Clark scored the final two points of the second from the free-throw line, giving them their five-point halftime lead.
The second frame also saw Hunter Price sink a 3-pointer at the 4:11 mark, and before that he made two free throws. Also in the second, Price made another free throw at the 2:46 mark. Price ended the game with eight points.
Clark added two points in the paint off a layup, then the senior came back with a steal at mid-court that led to two fast break points at the 2:06 mark.
Eventually Clark had a 6-0 run of his own, as he tied the score at 21 with the aforementioned fast break layup with 1:20 left in the quarter.
MTHS outscored the Indians, 11-10 in the third, leaving the score 36-32 in favor of Hillsboro. HHS began the third with a 3-pointer from Scott, but that feat was equaled with a trey by Moore. HHS replied with a jumper from the corner by Brad Miller, then Miller added two more points with a power move in the paint on a put-back attempt at the 3:42 mark of the third.
MT responded by outscoring the Indians, 7-3 in the final 2:10 of the quarter, cutting the Indians’ lead to four points. Hillsboro’s points in that run by the Panthers were off a 3-pointer by Scott.
“Early on, we weren’t hitting shots,” Burton said. “I thought late in the first half we got the tempo up where we needed it. We had some success in order to take the lead going into halftime.
“Coming out in the third quarter, I thought we had a couple possessions where we could actually put the nail in, but we had some missed shots, they’d get a stop, we’d turn it over, they got a big shot. We just weren’t able to do it. Give Trace credit, they kept coming back.”
In the fourth, the Panthers battled back to eventually tie the score at 41 following a 9-0 run — after HHS opened the fourth with five points — with 3:31 left in the final frame.
The Panthers even took the lead, adding to their scoring run, for the first time since the second quarter when they scored two points with 2:43 left in regulation for a 43-41 advantage.
HHS didn’t fold, as they took the lead once again with a free throw from Scott, and with 13 seconds left in regulation, Miller had the all-important put-back basket for the 44-43 advantage, as he finished the game with eight points.
MTHS then forced OT when Rodgers sank a free throw — on his second attempt — with 3.9 on the fourth-quarter clock, as MTHS outscored the Indians, 12-8 in the fourth quarter.
For the game, the Indians made 10 3-pointers with five by Scott, three from Clark and one each by Price and Parry. HHS also totaled eight two-point baskets and were 18-of-23 from the free-throw line.
The Panthers made nine 3-pointers, 13 two-point baskets and finished 5-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Hillsboro has completed their regular season with an overall record of 18-2 and the FAC mark of 9-1. They next play in a Division II sectional final game on Thursday, Feb. 25 at home, as HHS (a No. 3 seed) will host the No. 14 seeded Gallia Academy Blue Devils at 7 p.m.
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Following Saturday night’s 64-58 overtime win against the host Miami Trace Panthers, two of those three goals made by the Indians can now officially be checked off the list, as the Indians with the aforementioned victory capped their regular season with a winning record for the first time since 2012, no less than a co-FAC championship, and it was the Indians’ 14th consecutive win.
All in all, the Indians did what they went to Fayette County to do, but it wasn’t easy as the Panthers battled back and forced overtime in the final minutes of regulation, with the score being tied at 44. Then when overtime arrived, the entire game for the Indians completely took a turn in their favor.
“These guys battled,” Burton said. “Playing for a league championship at somebody else’s court, with all the pressure on you — we don’t hide from it. Maybe that’s right, maybe that’s wrong, but this was our goal, and we wanted to come in here and get it done.
“Give Miami Trace credit, they did a lot of things very, very well. Our kids, they played hard. I’m unbelievably proud of those guys.”
Overtime began with senior Ryan Scott knocking down a 3-pointer — he totaled five for the game — for Hillsboro, improving their lead to three points, with the assist from Jakwon Clark. Miami Trace answered with a jumper from Logan Rodgers at the 3:12 mark, making Hillsboro’s lead just one point. Rodgers led the Panthers with 20 points, including three 3-pointers.
Scott — who led the Indians with 23 points — answered those points with two converted free throws for the Indians with 2:57 left in the OT period, moving the Indians’ lead to 49-46.
From that point on, the defense of the Indians stepped up, with a timely rebound from junior Quintin Captain allowing the Indians to take away a second chance opportunity by the Panthers, and the Indians capitalized on that defensive play.
After the rebound by Captain at the 2:32 mark, Clark was left wide open near the corner of the court, behind the three-point line, and he made the Panthers pay with a 3-pointer at the 2:19 mark of overtime, lifting the Indians’ lead to six points. Though Miami Trace answered with two points from Rodgers, the Indians — and especially Clark — weren’t finished adding to their lead.
Clark, who totaled 17 points in the win, ended up in the same exact spot. In a feeling of déjà vu, Clark — once again left open — sank another 3-pointer, but this time as he was shooting the basketball for the trifecta, Clark had a slight grin on his face as he made his second 3-pointer in a span of less than a minute.
Clark’s 3-pointer put the Indians ahead 55-48 with 1:35 left on the scoreboard at Miami Trace.
“Jakwon Clark was ridiculous,” Burton said. “Ridiculous. That’s probably the best game I’ve ever seen him play in my life.”
Hillsboro’s defense wasn’t finished yet, as Captain stole the basketball and was fouled, sending the junior to the free-throw line. Captain converted both free-throw opportunities, pushing the Indians’ lead to nine points with 1:11 left in OT.
The rest of the way, both teams changed baskets for free throws, and in the end it was the Indians standing tall with the victory, finishing the FAC season at 9-1.
Hillsboro has a chance to win the title outright but will need some help as the Jackson Ironmen are 7-1 in the FAC with two games left on their schedule. The Ironmen — who split the season series with the Indians — will be hosting the McClain Tigers Feb. 16, and a makeup game with Chillicothe has been rescheduled for Feb. 20.
Regulation for the Indians and Panthers on Saturday night saw the Panthers double up the Indians in the first frame, with Miami Trace outscoring the Indians, 14-7 after one frame. Both the Indians and Panthers each exchanged 3-pointers to start what was a physical game with Scott sinking the basket for HHS, and Cameron Moore adding three for the Panthers. Moore ended the game with 12 points.
MT took lead following two points by Braden Osborne, but a 3-pointer, and later a free throw, from Hillsboro senior Lawton Parry left the Indians in front with a 7-5 advantage. Parry totaled four points for the Indians. Osborne totaled 12 points for the game for MTHS.
Miami Trace broke away with nine straight points in the final 3:56 of the first with a 3-pointer from Dylan Bernard and points in the paint by Andrew Guthrie, Ethan Steele and Rodgers.
Though the Indians were held to just seven points in the first quarter, the tide turned for Hillsboro in the second quarter, this time with the Indians outscoring Miami Trace, 19-7 in the eight-minute frame, taking a halftime lead along the way at 26-21.
It took until the 1:20 mark of the second quarter for Hillsboro to tie the score at 21 when Clark grabbed the loose ball and went on a fast break for two points and the basket. The Indians took away the lead from Miami Trace with a 3-pointer by Scott with 32 seconds left in the second for a 24-21 lead. Clark scored the final two points of the second from the free-throw line, giving them their five-point halftime lead.
The second frame also saw Hunter Price sink a 3-pointer at the 4:11 mark, and before that he made two free throws. Also in the second, Price made another free throw at the 2:46 mark. Price ended the game with eight points.
Clark added two points in the paint off a layup, then the senior came back with a steal at mid-court that led to two fast break points at the 2:06 mark.
Eventually Clark had a 6-0 run of his own, as he tied the score at 21 with the aforementioned fast break layup with 1:20 left in the quarter.
MTHS outscored the Indians, 11-10 in the third, leaving the score 36-32 in favor of Hillsboro. HHS began the third with a 3-pointer from Scott, but that feat was equaled with a trey by Moore. HHS replied with a jumper from the corner by Brad Miller, then Miller added two more points with a power move in the paint on a put-back attempt at the 3:42 mark of the third.
MT responded by outscoring the Indians, 7-3 in the final 2:10 of the quarter, cutting the Indians’ lead to four points. Hillsboro’s points in that run by the Panthers were off a 3-pointer by Scott.
“Early on, we weren’t hitting shots,” Burton said. “I thought late in the first half we got the tempo up where we needed it. We had some success in order to take the lead going into halftime.
“Coming out in the third quarter, I thought we had a couple possessions where we could actually put the nail in, but we had some missed shots, they’d get a stop, we’d turn it over, they got a big shot. We just weren’t able to do it. Give Trace credit, they kept coming back.”
In the fourth, the Panthers battled back to eventually tie the score at 41 following a 9-0 run — after HHS opened the fourth with five points — with 3:31 left in the final frame.
The Panthers even took the lead, adding to their scoring run, for the first time since the second quarter when they scored two points with 2:43 left in regulation for a 43-41 advantage.
HHS didn’t fold, as they took the lead once again with a free throw from Scott, and with 13 seconds left in regulation, Miller had the all-important put-back basket for the 44-43 advantage, as he finished the game with eight points.
MTHS then forced OT when Rodgers sank a free throw — on his second attempt — with 3.9 on the fourth-quarter clock, as MTHS outscored the Indians, 12-8 in the fourth quarter.
For the game, the Indians made 10 3-pointers with five by Scott, three from Clark and one each by Price and Parry. HHS also totaled eight two-point baskets and were 18-of-23 from the free-throw line.
The Panthers made nine 3-pointers, 13 two-point baskets and finished 5-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Hillsboro has completed their regular season with an overall record of 18-2 and the FAC mark of 9-1. They next play in a Division II sectional final game on Thursday, Feb. 25 at home, as HHS (a No. 3 seed) will host the No. 14 seeded Gallia Academy Blue Devils at 7 p.m.
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