Trojan girls still undefeated
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
For about 29 minutes, the Haven Wildcats gave the Trojans about everything they could handle. However, against a team like Hillsboro, that's not quite enough.
The Wildcats' hopes of knocking off the Trojans (16-0) were dashed at the free throw line in the closing 3:00 of Friday night's action in Hillsboro.
The Trojans sank 13-of-14 shots at the line to hang on for a hard-fought 67-59 win over Haven.
"We had to make our free throws, we knew it would come down to that," said an exasperated Trojan coach Darrel Knoll. "I was very pleased with everybody stepping up to the line, being under control in composure, and making their shots.
"I've talked about the character of this team all year, I really think we do play to win, especially when the game is on the line."
The Wildcats seemed like they were the team to do that, staying hot on the Trojans' tail all night.
Knoll's game plan heading into the match-up was simple: play tough defense, limit Haven's rebounds, and try to hound the three point shot.
Thanks to a team-high seven rebounds by Lucas Hamm, the Trojans outdid Haven on the glass, 28-25, and the Wildcats hit a cool 32 percent from outside.
That didn't keep the game from being suspenseful, though.
Down 11-9 with seconds winding down in the first quarter, Hillsboro's Kyle Kroeker tied the game just before the buzzer with a drive to the hoop.
Kroeker scored a career-team-high, hitting a flawless 10-of-10 at the free throw line and finishing with 21 points.
Derek Hamm added 14 points, Eric Weinbrenner 13, and Dan Deckert furnished 10.
Both teams hit an identical 4-for-12 from the floor the first quarter with Weinbrenner burying two triples.
The Wildcats had a hard time slowing down Derek Hamm inside, even with Ben Drake, who scored a game-high 24 points.
Derek scored eight of his 14 in the second quarter to help the Trojans keep pace with the Wildcats, amidst dishing out a team-high six assists.
It was the second quarter, though, where Hillsboro really got a taste of how deadly Haven's perimeter shooting can be.
The Wildcats were up 29-26 before a 7-0 run by the Trojans, capped off by another buzzer beater from Kroeker, gave them a 33-29 lead at recess.
Back-to-back baskets from Drake tied the score at 33 not even a minute into the second half.
The 6-3 Wildcat senior Drake canned a three with over 2:00 left in the third to put Haven over the hill, 40-37.
Hillsboro got yet another buzzer-beater, this time from Deckert to send the game into the fourth quarter knotted at 42.
"Those are the kind of plays that won the game for us tonight," said Knoll of Kroeker's and Deckert's buzzer beaters. "Haven always competes really hard and it was nothing less than what I expected tonight."
Nobody could pull away to start the fourth quarter until Patrick Harrison sank Hillsboro's final field goal of the game with just under 4:30 left.
Haven was the first to get the luxury of the foul line, hitting 7-of-8 to tie the game at 54 with 3:16 remaining.
After that, the Trojans looked to get the ball into the hands of their free throw shooters, Weinbrenner, Kroeker, and Lucas Hamm.
The Wildcats still hit two field goals, but Hillsboro's free throw shooting kept extending their lead as they finished 23-of-27 for the game and 44 percent in the field.
"I thought it was a great game," Knoll said. "Finally, when it really mattered down the stretch, we did a nice job. I was pleased with how we finished the game."
Haven hit a near-perfect 14-of-15 at the free throw line and 42 percent from the floor.
Hillsboro faces a rough three-game road stretch this week starting Tuesday night in Wichita against upstart Collegiate.
On Friday, the Trojans travel to Ellinwood before journeying to Lindsborg Saturday for the makeup game against Smoky Valley.
JV boys win tournament
The Hillsboro High School boys' junior varsity basketball team won its own tournament Saturday at Brown Gym. The Trojans defeated Inman 53-41.
Leading scorer for the Trojans was Nate Holmes with 14 points. Other scorers included Wade Weibert, 13; Tim Funk, nine; Chad Hughbanks, seven; Tyler Kaufman, six; and Brett McIntosh and Darren Enns, two points each.
