The Hillsboro Indians started strong at home Friday night with an 8-point lead in the first quarter against the Washington Blue Lions, but slipped off in the second quarter and kept fighting for air until the clock ran out.
Ethan Watson took off in the first 30 seconds of the game with a 3-pointer, putting up 5 of Hillsboro’s 14 points in the first quarter. Phillip Mycroft, Matthew Ryan and Kelton Anderson kept scoring hot for the Indians while Jarett Patton and Dillon Steward put up two 3-pointers for the Blue Lions.
The first quarter saw Hillsboro up by 8 points at 14-6.
Things dropped off for Hillsboro in the second quarter when the Lions made a 20-point gain thanks to Evan and Kenny Upthegrove, Jarrett Patton and Burns, Jr., who scored two back-to-back 2-pointers in the last two minutes of the quarter.
By the half, the score was 26-23 with WHS on top.
Court House and Hillsboro both made 12-point gains in the third quarter. Ethan Watson brought the score up to a tight 31-32 with a 2-pointer and two conversions that nearly took Hillsboro into the lead, but Washington’s Kory Proby scored two 2-pointers in 13 seconds that took the Lions to a 3-point lead.
Ward picked things up in the fourth quarter, taking the Indians to a 1-point lead at 6:30, then tied the score with a 2-pointer after Evan Upthegrove made a 3-point swish, bringing the score to 41-41. Ward brought the Indians into the lead again with a 2-pointer and a conversion in the last four and a half minutes of play that brought the score to 44-41.
WHS crept back when Proby hit two conversions, then Patton took two free throws, clawing out a 1-point lead with 2:30 left in the game.
Proby scored 6 points in the last two minutes, and Evan Upthegrove threw in a 2-pointer while Hillsboro struggled to take back the lead.
When the clock ran out, WHS had the win with a 51-44 on the scoreboard.
Watson led scoring for Hillsboro with 20 points.
“I thought we had good looks tonight, we just didn’t make anything in the fourth quarter,” said Hillsboro head coach Bruce Miles. “We had open shots, we didn’t make it, they did. That’s the difference. We had open looks and we didn’t make anything.”
Friday night’s loss took Hillsboro to a 1-4 overall record (1-3 SCOL).
The Indians will travel to Miami Trace High School next Tuesday to take on the Panthers at 7:30 p.m.
Summary
Washington — 6 20 12 13 — 51
Hillsboro — 14 9 12 9 — 44
WHS: Steward 1(1)-0/1-5; Patton 2(1)2/2-9, E. Upthegrove 1(3)-11, Prody 3-4/4-10; K. Upthegrove 3-6; Burne 5-0/1-10
Totals: 16(5)-6/8-51
HHS: Reed 2/2-2; Ryan 1-2; Ward 4-1/2-9; Watson 6(2)-2/2-20; Anderson 1(1)-5; Mycroft 2-2/2-6
Totals: 14(3)-7/8-44
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570 or on Twitter @SportsWrighter.
