Cold-shooting Trojans upend Halstead
BY RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
It won't go down in history as being one of the Trojans' better shooting performances, but any time you can pick up a hard-fought win on the defending Class 3A state champion's home court, it's a feather in your hat.
On a fairly warm winter's day Friday at Halstead with the temperature hovering in the 40s, the Dragons' and Hillsboro's field goal shooting were ice-cold.
Despite shooting season-low 29.4 percent from the floor and 29 percent from long range, the Trojans were able to knock out a huge 38-31 win against a tough Dragon team.
While the majority of the Trojans' wins have come as a result of their offense, it was the defense that helped preserve Friday's win.
The Trojans gave up 37 percent shooting to the Dragons, holding Halstead's leading scorer Brandt Pyle to eight points.
"This was the hardest defense we've played all year," said Trojan coach Darrell Knoll. "I think we played the best ball pressure we've played so far."
Hillsboro moves to a perfect 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in the MCAA.
The Arctic blast hit the Trojans first as they opened more than 3:00 of the first quarter without a field goal.
"We just didn't look comfortable on offense, and we didn't have our rhythm," Knoll said. "I don't know if I'd say it was because of the break, but we just didn't execute well offensively.
"We had good looks, but we missed a lot of open shots."
Hillsboro's first two points of the game came courtesy of a pair of free throws from Tyler Weinbrenner.
Averaging nearly 50 percent from the floor and 16.1 points a game, Weinbrenner suffered through a cooler 37 percent on a 4-of-11 night and finishing three points below his average.
Halstead went nearly 3:00 without a basket, and midway through the first quarter, the score was tied at 4-4.
Doubled over at 10-5 with 20 seconds left in the opening stanza, Hillsboro got a boost from Weinbrenner's buzzer-beating three to pull to 10-8.
Weinbrenner's and Layne Frick's baskets were the only two Trojan field goals of the first quarter from 12 attempts while the Dragons were 5 of 10.
The Trojans simply couldn't buy a basket.
After pulling to 10-8 to start the second quarter and missing their next five shots, the Trojans failed to score again until a three-point play by Adam Woods came at the 4:54 mark. Woods finished as second leading scorer with nine points, hauling in five of the Trojans' 29 rebounds.
By that time, the Dragons had pushed their lead to 14-8.
Andy Brubacher helped keep the Trojans afloat the rest of the way, sinking a pair of free throws with 1:19 left in the first half making it a 20-18 game.
The Trojans' defense hunkered down, holding the Dragons without a field goal in the closing 1:27 of the half.
Shooting a miserable 5 of 22 from the floor, Hillsboro's 22-18 lead at halftime was aided by its 10-for-11 shooting at the foul line.
Outscoring the Dragons just 16-13 in the second half, the difference in the game was Hillsboro's 14-8 second quarter.
The line was the warmest spot on the floor for the Trojans.
"I was happy with how we converted at the free-throw line," said Knoll. "That was what really helped win the game for us."
Halstead got as close as two three times in the third quarter, but the quick and feisty Hillsboro defense held the Dragons under water.
Hillsboro headed into the final stretch with the Dragons lurking on the premises, trailing 33-28.
The Trojans gave up a basket to Regehr with just over 7:00 left in the game that made it a 33-31 game, but Hillsboro held Halstead scoreless the rest of the way.
The Trojans have a two-game homestand this week facing a dangerous Nickerson team on Tuesday and Sterling on Friday. Results of Tuesday's action were unavailable at press time.
Hillsboro 38, Halstead 31
Halstead — 10 8 10 3 31
Hillsboro — 8 14 11 5 38
Halstead — Regehr 9, Ben Creed 1, Jacob Farmer 2, Brandt Pyle 8, Jeff Millspaugh 6, Ryan McKay 3, Mark Denno 2, Totals 11-30 1-6 6-12 31.
Hillsboro — Brubacher 3, Weinbrenner 13, Frick 6, Dustin Jost 1, Ross Duerksen 2, Steve Chisholm 2, Woods 9, Shawn Hughbanks 2, Totals 10-34 2-7 12-17 38.
