Blue Lion sophomore Noah Haithcock records a block during the first half of the game of the game against Hillsboro on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Haithcock had a remarkable six blocked shots on the evening and Washington prevailed over the Indians by a score of 65-52.
Photo by Mary Kay West
The two teams currently tied for second place in the Frontier Athletic Conference for boys basketball squared off on Tuesday as the Washington Blue Lions (8-2, 3-1 FAC) hosted the Hillsboro Indians (6-3, 3-1 FAC).
While the other four FAC teams are beginning their second round of league play, the Blue Lions and Indians are meeting for the first time this season.
Washington was originally scheduled to play at Hillsboro on Tuesday, Dec. 5, but the game was postponed due to illness within the Blue Lion program. That game has been rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 8.
Despite trailing after the opening quarter, Washington would outscore Hillsboro 53-39 over the next three quarter to come away with a 65-52 conference victory to keep themselves in the FAC title race.
After Blue Lion senior John Wall opened the game with a layup, Hillsboro would go on a 6-0 run with two baskets from Steven Kibler and a layup from Nic Burns.
Washington would go on a 5-0 run with layups from seniors Isaiah Haithcock and Garett Rickman and a free throw from sophomore Noah Haithcock to regain the lead, 7-6.
The lead was relinquished on the next possession when Indians freshman Jack Howland buried a three to put them ahead 9-7.
Washington responded with a three from Rickman to take the lead back.
Both teams would trade layups to close out the quarter, as Hillsboro junior point guard Tate Davis scored, followed by a score from Haithcock and one at the other end from Kibler.
The Indians led 13-12 after one.
Washington opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run with a sequence that included an offensive rebound and put back bucket from Haithcock, six straight points from senior Gabe Tayese, and finally a layup from Wall.
Hillsboro ended the run with two free throws from Dorian Stewart, a layup from Kibler and a layup from Davis to make it 22-19 midway through the quarter.
That run ended with a corner three from Wall to put Washington back ahead by two possessions.
Rickman added a jumper to extend the lead to eight, but the Indians connected on two free throws at the other end to get it back to a two possession game.
Another offensive rebound and put back bucket combination from Haithcock had the Blue Lions ahead 29-21 in the closing moments of the first half.
Hillsboro would add a free throw from Kibler to make it 29-22 at the break.
The second half started with a layup from Wall, followed by layups from Kibler and Davis, and a layup from Rickman to keep the Blue Lion lead at seven points.
Washington saw their first double-digit lead of the night come moments later on a three from Rickman.
Hillsboro got it back within five on a three from Howland, making it 38-33.
That quickly changed after back-to-back layups from Haithcock which made it 42-33. A layup from Tayese would put Washington ahead by nine.
Hillsboro got into the bonus and was able to go on a 7-0 run featuring four free throws split between Kibler and Burns, and a three from Howland.
Washington held just a two-point lead with seconds left in the quarter. After a missed three, Tayese secured an offensive rebound and layed it in to make it 46-42 to close out the third.
The Blue Lions opened the final quarter on a 5-0 run with a layup from Rickman and an old-fashioned three-point play from Tayese to put them up nine.
Kibler connected on a three at the other end to get it within six, but that was as close as the Indians would get as Washington would outscore them 14-7 over the remaining few minutes to earn the league win in front of the home crowd.
Blue Lion head coach Shannon Bartruff spoke following the game.
“I’m proud of the effort. We really had some spurts in the first half where I thought we might blow it open and then Hillsboro made some shots. They got on the offensive glass too in the first half and that helped them stay in the game. The second half was the same story. We made a run and they made a run, but then our defense got better. To hold number-four (Tate Davis) to seven points through four quarters is really good. I’m not sure he even got ten shots off. We dominated the paint in the second half. I’m proud of the win. We have a big game Friday on Youth Night.”
Statistically for Washington, Garrett Rickman and Isaiah Haithcock shared scoring honors with 18 points each.
Haithcock was all over the glass on the evening, pulling down a season-high 19 rebounds including six offensive boards. He also added three blocks, two steals and an assist.
Rickman contributed two rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
Gabe Tayese was next in scoring with a career-high 15 points, and added five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block.
John Wall scored 11 points and contributed five rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block.
Noah Haithcock rounded out the scoring with three points, and added seven rebounds (five offensive) to go with a team-high six blocks and five assists.
Will Miller added one assist to the team’s total.
The Blue Lions (9-2, 4-1 FAC) will be back at home again on Friday as they host the Chillicothe Cavaliers (5-7, 1-5 FAC) Chillicothe fell to Miami Trace on Tuesday by a score of 45-35.
Washington looks to keep their home winning streak alive as they are 6-0 this season at home and have won their last 10 home games dating back to last season.
Hillsboro (6-4, 3-2 FAC) is back in action on Friday at home against Jackson (9-4, 3-3 FAC) The Ironmen defeated McClain on Tuesday by a score of 44-36.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
W 12 17 17 19 — 65
H 13 9 20 10 — 52
WASHINGTON — Garrett Rickman 6 (2)-0-18; John Wall 4 (1)-0-11; Will Miller 0-0-0; Noah Haithcock 1-1-3; Gabe Tayese 7-1-15; Isaiah Haithcock 9-0-18. TOTALS — 27 (3)-2-65. Free throw shooting: 2 of 5 for 40 percent. Three-point field goals: Rickman 2, Wall. Field goal shooting: 0 of 0 for 0 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 30 of 59 for 51 percent. Rebounds: 38 (16 offensive). Assists: 14. Steals: 6. Blocked shots: 12. Turnovers: 14.
HILLSBORO — Mason Dumpert 1-0-2; Tate Davis 3-1-7; Brayden Hunter 0-2-2; Steven Kibler 5 (1)-3-16; Nic Burns 3-0-6; Jack Howland 1 (3)-4-15; Dorian Stewart 0-4-4. TOTALS — 13 (4)-14-52. Free throw shooting: 14 of 19 for 74 percent. Three-point field goals: Howland 3, Kibler. Turnovers: 12.
Blue Lion j-v team xx Hillsboro
In the j-v contest, Washington would xx by a score of 55-37. The j-v team is now 7-4 on the season.
Statistically for the Blue Lions, Cooper Robertson led the way with 13 points, followed by Jeston Everhart with 12 points on four made threes, Bryson Heath with 11, Javin Baker with seven, Aden Osborne with six, C.J. Davis with four, and Jordan Lamb with two.
Washington freshman defeat Indians
In the freshman contest, the Blue Lions won, 57-37. The freshman are now 5-5 on the year.
Statistically for Washington, Aden Osborne and Evan Wilson each led with 14 points, followed by Austin Hughes with 11, Quinton Marine with 10, Kiontae Tyree with five, and Channing Wightman with three.
