Staff writer
The Hillsboro High School boys’ basketball team lost to Pratt, 55-35, Friday in Pratt.
After a 3-pointer by Christian Ratzlaff in the opening minutes of the first quarter, the Trojans struggled to find any offense. Luke Moore added a baseline lay-up off a bounce pass from Jesse Allen to end the opening frame with five points. Devin Dick scored the only points for the Trojans of the second quarter on a corner 3-pointer.
The Trojans were down 16-3 with 1 minute, 42 seconds left in the first quarter. They were down 28-8 after two quarters. For the game, Hillsboro shot 26 percent from the floor, 22 percent from 3-point range on 18 shots. Guards Shaq Thiessen, Evan Ollenburger, and Brett Weinbrenner all tied for the team high with 5 points apiece.
“I thought we would have learned these things at Sterling,” head coach Darrel Knoll said. “We were settling for quick shots. We didn’t run very good offense. We didn’t play up to our ability and they were very good.”
Knoll was especially displeased that forward Josh Wiebe was not involved in the Trojan half court offense. He did not receive a pass into the post in the first half. Regularly recoding figures in the double digits, the junior forward scored two points and grabbed two rebounds.
“We talked about that at half,” Knoll said. “Josh has to do a better job of calling for the ball and his teammates have to do a better job of finding him.”
On the other end of the court, the Trojans had zero answers for Pratt’s driving attack all game long. Pratt opened the game with a layup and two 3-pointers and never looked back. Guard Micah Swank scored 25 points. He victimized whatever Trojan was unlucky enough to guard him, driving to the basket or stepping back for jump shots.
Payson Maydew scored 14 points and recorded nine rebounds for the Greenbacks. He scored his first two baskets on offensive rebounds. The Pratt penetration gave the senior forward open avenues to rebound.
B.J. Dean also put up double figures with 12 points. He mostly hit shots from the outside.
Pratt shot 52 percent from the floor and 50 percent from beyond the arc.
“They were quick. Our rotation should have been better,” Knoll said of the Trojans on defense. “They shot the ball extremely well coming out. We didn’t make adjustments.”
The Trojans also lost the rebounding battle, 28-16, and turnover margin, 13-10.
The Trojans played Lyons Tuesday at home. Hillsboro’s next game will be Nickerson Friday at Nickerson.
Lyons
Trojans defeated Lyons 48-38 on Tuesday in Hillsboro. Christian Ratzlaff lead all scorers with 13 points. Jesse Allen was second with 9 points.
