Shewey’s season-high 20 points leads to victory

By RYAN RICHTER

Sports writer

Much like the Hillsboro High School boys’ basketball season, Trojan senior standout Clay Shewey’s game has been up and down.

After continuing to make solid contributions throughout the year, Shewey finally got his breakout game Friday night with Hillsboro playing host to the struggling Sterling Black Bears.

Shewey bombed Sterling for a game- and season-high 20 points, half of them in the first half, to fuel the Trojans (8-6, 4-2 MCAA) to an easy 55-40 victory.

“It was good to get a home win,” said Trojan coach Darrel Knoll. “At times we looked really good tonight — I thought in the first part of the first quarter and a couple of minutes into the third. Everybody had really good moments in the game.”

Through 15 games, the Trojans have been better on the road than they have on their home court, going 1-5 in Hillsboro — something that’s brought its share of rumblings from the Hillsboro coach.

The Black Bears were just the opponent the Trojans needed to get some kinks worked out of the hose.

Hillsboro jumped out to a 13-4 lead after the first quarter, with Shewey scoring the first five points.

The Trojans limited Sterling to a paltry 2-of-11 from the floor and 33 percent on the night.

Sterling would have made it a closer game had it been able to get an offensive rebound, but the Trojans dominated the backboard, limiting the Bears mostly to one shot each possession.

Daniel Jost added 16 points, putting Hillsboro on top, 19-8, with his jump-hook at the 4:30 mark of the second quarter.

The Bears were able to pull closer, 20-16, but Shewey scored on back-to-back possessions off steals to help the Trojans to a 26-18 lead at halftime.

Hillsboro’s rebounding advantage set up high-percentage shots and the Trojans stayed hot the entire game, shooting 53 percent.

Sterling was able to stay within two possessions through the first three minutes of the second half before the game short-circuited.

David Loewen was the other Trojan in double figures with 10 points, stretching Hillsboro’s lead to 35-27 inside four minutes.

One task the Trojans have yet to do this year is put together a big run, but Loewen’s basket triggered one.

What was once a 33-27 game turned into a 53-27 avalanche as Sterling went well over a quarter without a basket — missing 12 straight shots.

The Trojans zone defense forced eight turnovers during the Black Bear lapse.

That added up to eight points, some coming on transition baskets.

Trae Lott’s three-point play ended Sterling’s dry spell with 3:45 left, but the Trojans’ eruption put away the game.

If there was any lapse in the Trojans’ game, it came in the waning three minutes as their reserves gave up a 10-2 run.

“The third quarter was when we started to put away the game,” Knoll said. “It was good to get some other guys some playing time.”

The Trojans face a tough road test Friday against Nickerson with a tip set for around 8 p.m.