HILLSBORO: Trojans start slow, finish off Warriors
Hillsboro opens Trojan Classic with 63-46 win over Marion
BY RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
For about 16 minutes in Tuesday's second night of the Trojan Classic in Hillsboro, the Trojans looked like the team that was projected as a top five pick in Class 3A boys' basketball.
The games last twice as long, though.
For the rest of the 16 minutes, Hillsboro had its hands full with a determined Marion Warrior team who had played the previous night.
Sixteen minutes of solid play proved to be enough for the Trojans as they overcame a slow start and ragged finish to beat the improved Warriors.
The victory lifts Hillsboro to 8-2 on the season.
Tuesday night's game left Trojan coach Darrell Knoll yearning for one thing from his team: the ability to play a full 32:00 game.
Hillsboro has battled making easy baskets all year.
Missing a trio of layups was big with Marion taking a 13-11 lead after the first quarter with the Warriors holding the Trojans to just four of 14 from the floor.
"I thought Marion came out and played hard," Knoll said. "We missed a few layups early that maybe could have gotten us out 8-0. Instead, it keeps them in the ball game."
"We need to learn to play four quarters and be sharper all the way around. That's just something we've got to do a little better. I was pleased that we were able to play as hard as we did defensively."
The Trojans could have been in a bind after the first quarter had it not been for Dustin Jost.
Jost finished with 17 points, five coming in the first quarter.
Coming off a 59-49 setback Monday night against the Trojans' Friday night opponent, Thomas-More Prep, Marion looked winded in the second quarter.
Having fresher legs seemed to pay dividends for the Trojans, especially in the second quarter when the transition game appeared to wake up.
Hillsboro pushed the ball down the court better while the defense forced six Marion turnovers.
Outscoring the Warriors 24-8 the second quarter, Hillsboro got eight points off Marion-errors.
Andy Brubacher put the Trojans in front for good, 18-17, with just under 4:00 left in the first half, igniting a 7-0 run that pushed the lead to 25-17.
Brubacher rounded out the Trojans' scoring in double-figures with 11.
The Trojans outscored Marion 10-4 in the closing 2:30 to take a commanding 35-21 lead at halftime.
Tyler Weinbrenner scored a game-high 22 points, including a quartet of triples with 12 points coming in the first half.
Going absent with a basket since the 1:11 mark in the second quarter, the Warriors had the ceiling cave in the third quarter.
Hillsboro used a 13-0 run to break the game wide open, toward inflating its lead to 44-21 with Brubacher scoring on a two-on-one fast-break.
Then the Trojans seemed content with the big lead, leading to an 8-0 run for the Warriors.
The Warriors never jeopardized the Trojan lead with Weinbrenner stretching the lead to 55-33 with 6:05 left.
Marion got as close as 59-46 before Jost scored the Trojans' final four points.
Hillsboro squares off Friday night in the second round of pool play against the TMP Monarchs at 7:30 p.m.
The outcome will determine the Trojans' placement for the final games Saturday.
Halstead
MCAA Mid-Division bragging rights were on the line Friday night in Hillsboro in the highly-anticipated matchup between the Trojans and the ranked Dragons.
The game came unraveled on the Dragons early with coach Joe Gerber being ejected in the first quarter after a pair of quick technicals.
Hillsboro raced to a quick 22-5 lead after the first quarter, eventually rolling over the Dragons, 67-49.
Tyler Peachey scored a game-high 18 points and Brubacher added 12.
