Staff writer
Hillsboro High School basketball teams closed out a rough week Friday on the road at Kingman, and it didn’t get any better Tuesday against Haven.
With Alex Ratzlaff sidelined, the Lady Trojans lacked enough firepower to combat Kingman, falling 61-42 for their second consecutive loss.
Coming off a dull performance three days earlier in a loss to Hoisington, the boys used a 15-2 second quarter to trip the Eagles, 53-38.
The girls were able to stay within single digits for about 10 minutes of the first half, but the Eagles, led by Bailey Bangert’s game-high 26 points, took control of the game from there.
With a 37-23 lead at the break, Kingman was comfortably in the driver’s seat despite Hillsboro making a slight push in the third quarter, cutting the lead to 43-32.
Tassanee Sanchez paced a balanced scoring attack for the Trojans with 17 points.
Haven wasn’t a team to try to bounce back against Tuesday, as the Wildcats handed the Trojans their third loss in a row, 50-32.
Hillsboro experienced cold shooting from the start, connecting on just one basket in the first quarter out of 12 attempts, but Haven was almost as cold and led 9-4 at the end of the period.
The Wildcats increased their lead with a 12-0 run near the end of the second quarter, and held a 17-point lead going into the fourth.
Tassanee Sanchez scored 8 points to lead the Trojans.
Hillsboro dropped to 10-8 overall and 6-3 in league play.
In boys’ action, the 1-15 Eagles gave the Trojans all they could handle in the first quarter, shooting 50 percent from the field to stay within 13-12.
Hillsboro ratcheted up its defense the second quarter, limiting Kingman to an icy 1-for-16 in the field, leaving the Eagles doubled over at halftime, 28-14.
The Eagles got back to within single digits early in the third quarter, but the Trojans regained footing, pushing their lead to 39-23 heading down the final stretch.
Austin Cross scored a game-high 18 points, finishing one rebound shy of a double-double, while Darian Ratzlaff and Elias Werth added 13 and 10, respectively.
Hillsboro also benefited from 19-of-23 from the foul line, 15 more attempts than the Eagles.
Trips to the line were scarce for both Hillsboro and Haven in their Tuesday contest, leaving the teams to battle it out on the floor, with Haven prevailing 42-38.
The Trojans took an 11-10 lead into the second quarter, but from their watched their shooting touch cool down. Haven held the lead at halftime, 20-19, and extended it to 30-26 going into the final period.
Elias Werth scored 12 points to lead the Trojans, and Braden Vogt chipped in 10.