The two teams currently tied for second place in the Frontier Athletic Conference for boys basketball squared off on Tuesday as the Washington Blue Lions hosted the Hillsboro Indians.

While the other four FAC teams were beginning their second round of league play, the Blue Lions and Indians were meeting for the first time this season. Washington was originally scheduled to play at Hillsboro on Dec. 5, but the game was postponed due to illness within the Blue Lion program. That game has been rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 8.

Despite trailing after the opening quarter, Washington outscored Hillsboro 53-39 over the next three quarters to come away with a 65-52 victory to keep themselves in the FAC title race.

After Blue Lion senior John Wall opened the game with a layup, Hillsboro went on a 6-0 run with two baskets from Steven Kibler and a layup from Nic Burns. Washington went on a 5-0 run with layups from seniors Isaiah Haithcock and Garett Rickman and a free throw from sophomore Noah Haithcock to regain the lead, 7-6.

The lead was relinquished on the next possession when Indians freshman Jack Howland buried a three to put his team ahead 9-7. Washington responded with a three from Rickman to take the lead back.

Both teams traded layups to close out the quarter as Hillsboro junior point guard Tate Davis scored, followed by a score from Haithcock and one at the other end from Kibler.

The Indians led 13-12 after one quarter.

Washington opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run with a sequence that included an offensive rebound and put back bucket from Haithcock, six straight points from senior Gabe Tayese, and a layup from Wall. Hillsboro ended the run with two free throws from Dorian Stewart, a layup from Kibler and a layup from Davis to make it 22-19 midway through the quarter.

That run ended with a corner three from Wall to put Washington back ahead by two possessions. Rickman added a jumper to extend the lead to eight, but the Indians connected on two free throws at the other end to get it back to a two possession game.

Another offensive rebound and put back bucket combination from Haithcock had the Blue Lions ahead 29-21 in the closing moments of the first half. Hillsboro added a free throw from Kibler to make it 29-22 at the break.

The second half started with a layup from Wall, followed by layups from Kibler and Davis, and a layup from Rickman to keep the Blue Lion lead at seven points. Washington saw its first double-digit lead of the night come moments later on a three from Rickman.

Hillsboro got it back within five on a three from Howland, making it 38-33. That quickly changed after back-to-back layups from Haithcock which made it 42-33.

Hillsboro got into the bonus and was able to go on a 7-0 run featuring four free throws split between Kibler and Burns, and a three from Howland, making it 42-40.

Washington held just a two-point lead with seconds left in the quarter. After a missed three, Tayese secured an offensive rebound and layed it in to make it 46-42 to close out the third.

The Blue Lions opened the final quarter on a 5-0 run with a layup from Rickman and an old-fashioned three-point play from Tayese to put them up nine.

Kibler connected on a three at the other end to get it within six, but that was as close as the Indians would get as Washington outscored them 14-7 over the remaining few minutes to earn the conference win.

“I’m proud of the effort. We really had some spurts in the first half where I thought we might blow it open and then Hillsboro made some shots,” Washington coach Shannon Bartruff said. “They got on the offensive glass too in the first half and that helped them stay in the game. The second half was the same story. We made a run and they made a run, but then our defense got better. To hold No. 4 (Tate Davis) to seven points through four quarters is really good. I’m not sure he even got 10shots off. We dominated the paint in the second half. I’m proud of the win.”

Statistically for Washington, Garrett Rickman and Isaiah Haithcock shared scoring honors with 18 points each.

Hillsboro was led by Kibler and Jack Howland who scored 17 and 15 points, respectively.

The Blue Lions improved to 4-1 in the FAC and 9-2 overall.

Hillsboro fell to 3-2 in the FAC and 6-4 overall.

In other FAC action Tuesday, Miami Trace defeated Chillicothe 45-35 and Jackson beat McClain 44-36.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

W 12 17 17 19 — 65

H 13 9 20 10 — 52

WASHINGTON — Garrett Rickman 6 (2)-0-18; John Wall 4 (1)-0-11; Will Miller 0-0-0; Noah Haithcock 1-1-3; Gabe Tayese 7-1-15; Isaiah Haithcock 9-0-18. TOTALS — 27 (3)-2-65. Free throw shooting: 2 of 5 for 40 percent. Three-point field goals: Rickman 2, Wall. Field goal shooting: 0 of 0 for 0 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 30 of 59 for 51 percent. Rebounds: 38 (16 offensive). Assists: 14. Steals: 6. Blocked shots: 12. Turnovers: 14.

HILLSBORO — Mason Dumpert 1-0-2; Tate Davis 3-1-7; Brayden Hunter 0-2-2; Steven Kibler 5 (1)-3-16; Nic Burns 3-0-6; Jack Howland 1 (3)-4-15; Dorian Stewart 0-4-4. TOTALS — 13 (4)-14-52. Free throw shooting: 14 of 19 for 74 percent. Three-point field goals: Howland 3, Kibler. Turnovers: 12.

In the jayvee contest, Washington won by a score of 55-37

In the freshman contest, the Blue Lions won, 57-37.

Tyler Flora writes for the Record-Herald in Washington C.H.