Indians break Warriors' heart on Valentine's Day
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — The Hillsboro Indians didn't present the Goshen Warriors with a box of candy on Valentine's Day, though both teams were wearing different shades of red. Instead they took the Warriors on a roller coaster of a ride, not of love, but of heartbreak, sending Goshen back to Clermont County with a loss, as HHS dominated the Warriors, 74-60 Tuesday at HHS.
This being the next-to-final game of the regular season, the Indians played well in spurts, but their play on Tuesday, though not their best, was enough to gain their 14th win of the season.
"This was a roller coaster type of game for us," HHS head coach Brett Prince said. "We would play well for three minutes, then we would be relaxed for three minutes … then we would play hard for three minutes, and then we would relax for three minutes.
"It was a game where every time we would get up big, we would relax. We've done that all year. We are lacking that killer instinct. We're going to need that killer instinct from here on out. We have to close the deal and take care of business. (Tuesday), I'm not sure we did that."
Friday now awaits the Indians (14-5), where the South Central Ohio League outright championship awaits. The scenario is simple … if Hillsboro wins, they are league champions all by themselves. If Clinton-Massie wins, they will share the league title with the Indians.
"I understand we would be peeking ahead to Friday (in terms of the energy showed against Goshen), but after losing last Tuesday at Lynchburg, we should have been licking our chops … ready to play somebody," Prince said. "We've talked all week about how we have one game to focus on and that's Goshen, then after that Clinton-Massie.
"I know that's what everybody says, and I'm sure in the back of their mind they are thinking about Friday. I'm glad that we won … I can't say I'm not pleased with 14 wins this season because I just wanted the kids to play hard. Fourteen wins is solid, and hopefully there is one more win in the regular season coming."
Back to Tuesday … the start of the game was full of "Hart," as in HHS junior Jarrod Hart, who opened the game with a 3-pointer, followed by two points by senior Táron Captain, who led the Indians with a team-high 20 points. Senior Christian Cundiff added put-back points with 6:34 left in the first, giving the Indians a 7-0 lead to start the game.
Goshen junior Kyle Wake broke the streak with a 3-pointer with 6:16 left in the quarter. Wake led all scorers, scoring a game-high 25 points, including six 3-pointers. Austin Fisher followed with 18 points.
The Indians answered with six consecutive points, and following a 3-pointer by Goshen, the Indians came back with a 3-pointer by senior Tyrand Cumberland and put-back points from senior Devanté Ames for an 18-9 lead with 2:41 left in the first.
Both teams scored four points each in the quarter's final 2:20 with HHS taking a 10-point lead at 23-13 after eight minutes.
[[In-content Ad]]Each team scored 13 points in the second, with Hillsboro's points coming from Cumberland, senior Trevor Gleadle, Gilliland, Captain and Cundiff (a 3-pointer) for a halftime lead of 36-26.
HHS extended their lead to 16 points following the third quarter, outscoring GHS 23-17, with points by Cumberland (who scored 18 total points), Hart and Captain. Hart, who totaled 12 points for the game, scored five points in the third (including a 3-pointer), along with eight points by Cumberland and 10 points by Captain in the quarter.
In the final eight minutes, Cumberland, Ames, Hart, Gilliland, Captain and Wes Sears all scored for the Indians. Gilliland finished with nine total points, Ames finished with six and Cundiff added five points.
The loss drops GHS to 5-14 overall.
Now all that stands in the way of Hillsboro's second consecutive SCOL title is Clinton-Massie.
"After last year's team shared the league title with Miami Trace, there's nothing, absolutely nothing, that would make us happier than winning an outright title," Prince said. "We will not be satisfied sharing it, knowing the game is at our place and we have a one-game lead.
"We've got to close the deal on Friday. It's a huge game, and I hope the community comes out and supports us. Clinton-Massie is a good ball team, well-coached, and I'm pretty sure they (CM) are going to be ready."
In JV play, HHS defeated Goshen 57-32. Leading HHS were Alex Branscome with 12 points and Jordan Captain with nine.
In freshman play, Goshen defeated HHS 31-29. Logan Lesley led HHS with 11 points, and Austin Bagshaw followed with 10.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY QUARTERS
GHS 13 13 17 17 — 60
HHS 23 13 23 15 — 74
INDIVIDUAL STATS
HHS (74)
T.Cumberland 7 (1) 1-2 18
D.Ames 3 (0) 0-0 6
J.Hart 3 (2) 0-0 12
C.Gilliland 4 (0) 1-2 9
T.Captain 7 (0) 6-10 20
C.Cundiff 1 (1) 0-0 5
W.Sears 1 (0) 0-0 2
TOTALS: 27 (4) 8-14 74
GHS (60)
K.Wake 3 (6) 1-2 25
A.Smith 1 (2) 0-0 8
A.Fischer 9 (0) 0-1 18
M.Taylor 1 (0) 0-0 2
J.Nelson 1 (0) 1-1 3
N.Messer 2 (0) 0-0 4
TOTALS: 17 (8) 2-4 60
This being the next-to-final game of the regular season, the Indians played well in spurts, but their play on Tuesday, though not their best, was enough to gain their 14th win of the season.
"This was a roller coaster type of game for us," HHS head coach Brett Prince said. "We would play well for three minutes, then we would be relaxed for three minutes … then we would play hard for three minutes, and then we would relax for three minutes.
"It was a game where every time we would get up big, we would relax. We've done that all year. We are lacking that killer instinct. We're going to need that killer instinct from here on out. We have to close the deal and take care of business. (Tuesday), I'm not sure we did that."
Friday now awaits the Indians (14-5), where the South Central Ohio League outright championship awaits. The scenario is simple … if Hillsboro wins, they are league champions all by themselves. If Clinton-Massie wins, they will share the league title with the Indians.
"I understand we would be peeking ahead to Friday (in terms of the energy showed against Goshen), but after losing last Tuesday at Lynchburg, we should have been licking our chops … ready to play somebody," Prince said. "We've talked all week about how we have one game to focus on and that's Goshen, then after that Clinton-Massie.
"I know that's what everybody says, and I'm sure in the back of their mind they are thinking about Friday. I'm glad that we won … I can't say I'm not pleased with 14 wins this season because I just wanted the kids to play hard. Fourteen wins is solid, and hopefully there is one more win in the regular season coming."
Back to Tuesday … the start of the game was full of "Hart," as in HHS junior Jarrod Hart, who opened the game with a 3-pointer, followed by two points by senior Táron Captain, who led the Indians with a team-high 20 points. Senior Christian Cundiff added put-back points with 6:34 left in the first, giving the Indians a 7-0 lead to start the game.
Goshen junior Kyle Wake broke the streak with a 3-pointer with 6:16 left in the quarter. Wake led all scorers, scoring a game-high 25 points, including six 3-pointers. Austin Fisher followed with 18 points.
The Indians answered with six consecutive points, and following a 3-pointer by Goshen, the Indians came back with a 3-pointer by senior Tyrand Cumberland and put-back points from senior Devanté Ames for an 18-9 lead with 2:41 left in the first.
Both teams scored four points each in the quarter's final 2:20 with HHS taking a 10-point lead at 23-13 after eight minutes.
[[In-content Ad]]Each team scored 13 points in the second, with Hillsboro's points coming from Cumberland, senior Trevor Gleadle, Gilliland, Captain and Cundiff (a 3-pointer) for a halftime lead of 36-26.
HHS extended their lead to 16 points following the third quarter, outscoring GHS 23-17, with points by Cumberland (who scored 18 total points), Hart and Captain. Hart, who totaled 12 points for the game, scored five points in the third (including a 3-pointer), along with eight points by Cumberland and 10 points by Captain in the quarter.
In the final eight minutes, Cumberland, Ames, Hart, Gilliland, Captain and Wes Sears all scored for the Indians. Gilliland finished with nine total points, Ames finished with six and Cundiff added five points.
The loss drops GHS to 5-14 overall.
Now all that stands in the way of Hillsboro's second consecutive SCOL title is Clinton-Massie.
"After last year's team shared the league title with Miami Trace, there's nothing, absolutely nothing, that would make us happier than winning an outright title," Prince said. "We will not be satisfied sharing it, knowing the game is at our place and we have a one-game lead.
"We've got to close the deal on Friday. It's a huge game, and I hope the community comes out and supports us. Clinton-Massie is a good ball team, well-coached, and I'm pretty sure they (CM) are going to be ready."
In JV play, HHS defeated Goshen 57-32. Leading HHS were Alex Branscome with 12 points and Jordan Captain with nine.
In freshman play, Goshen defeated HHS 31-29. Logan Lesley led HHS with 11 points, and Austin Bagshaw followed with 10.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY QUARTERS
GHS 13 13 17 17 — 60
HHS 23 13 23 15 — 74
INDIVIDUAL STATS
HHS (74)
T.Cumberland 7 (1) 1-2 18
D.Ames 3 (0) 0-0 6
J.Hart 3 (2) 0-0 12
C.Gilliland 4 (0) 1-2 9
T.Captain 7 (0) 6-10 20
C.Cundiff 1 (1) 0-0 5
W.Sears 1 (0) 0-0 2
TOTALS: 27 (4) 8-14 74
GHS (60)
K.Wake 3 (6) 1-2 25
A.Smith 1 (2) 0-0 8
A.Fischer 9 (0) 0-1 18
M.Taylor 1 (0) 0-0 2
J.Nelson 1 (0) 1-1 3
N.Messer 2 (0) 0-0 4
TOTALS: 17 (8) 2-4 60