Spartans too much for struggling Trojans
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports Writer
Trojan coach Darrell Knoll sounded bewildered trying to explain how his team could have looked so sluggish.
For a team trying to build some confidence and get on track before the holiday break, the Trojans (2-4) didn't need the Dec. 19 51-33 loss at Wichita Collegiate (5-1).
"We just looked sluggish for whatever reason, we've got to get healthy and get ourselves in shape," Knoll said. "I told the guys after the game it's all just executing and fundamentals that's costing us these kinds of games and making us not compete as well as we could."
That Hillsboro has a lot of work do between now and Jan. 5 (when they host Hoisington) was made painfully obvious against Collegiate, one of the top five teams in Class 3A. The fact that the Trojans were battling illness added to the lopsided outcome.
"We've got to get ourselves in shape, regroup, try to get some confidence somewhere and get ourselves ready," Knoll said.
After tying the game four times in the first quarter, the Trojans scored just one field goal and a pair of free throws in the entire second period.
Collegiate stretched its lead to 20-9 before Troy Frick scored the only basket with just under three minutes left in the half.
Hillsboro trailed, 24-13, at halftime after Frick added a pair of free throws to his lone basket. As a team, the Trojan shot only 21 percent from the field in the first half.
The Trojans brought more energy but got the same results in the third period, as they went the first 4:00 of the second half without a basket.
Meanwhile, Collegiate, led by Cole Fiegel, who had a game-high 22 points, stretched its lead to 30-13.
While Collegiate was knocking down seven-of-13 shots, the Trojans were trying to keep pace at the free-throw line, going the third quarter with just one field goal.
Hillsboro senior Lucas Hamm, who scored a team-high 15 points, sank a three-pointer to make it 30-17 with less than four minutes to play in the third quarter.
Pressure defense from the Trojans forced five straight Collegiate turnovers and allowed Hillsboro to mount an 8-0 run to narrow the gap to 45-29.
While Knoll was pleased with the effort of his Trojans, the coach was clearly frustrated by the outcome.
Hillsboro might've kept pace from the free-throw line, but modest 12-for-23 shooting in the contest crippled the Trojans chances.
"We had fast-break opportunities in the first half that we didn't execute, and we missed too many free throws," Knoll said. "Those two things within themselves could have kept us in the ball game."
