For the Daily Journal
Hauser used a 19-2 run to pull away for a 65-47 win against host Edinburgh in a battle of Mid-Hoosier Conference boys basketball rivals on Friday.
The visiting Jets flexed their muscles in every aspect of the game. They knocked down seven 3-pointers, went 10 for 13 from the foul line and dominated the paint to move to 2-0 in the conference and 4-3 overall.
“We knew coming into this place that it would be tough. They’re quick and they play extremely hard,” Hauser coach Griff Roth said. “We just tried to contain them on defense and make shots on offense against them and continually do that to spread the score a bit.”
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The game was a series of runs early by both teams, but it was Hauser that got the last laugh. After Edinburgh scored the first five points of the game, the Jets responded with a 15-5 run to take the lead.
Edinburgh (4-3, 2-1) stayed close, using a 6-2 run midway through the second quarter to pull within 20-19, but five points each by Alex Gross and Mason Sherman staked Hauser to a 30-19 lead at the half.
Hauser carried that run over to the second half, getting baskets by Sam Meek and Justin Compton to push the lead to 34-19. Bryce Burton broke the run for Edinburgh with a pair of free throws, but a bucket by A.J. Titus and a 3-pointer by Sherman capped the run at 19-2 and effectively ended the game.
“I thought our guys battled. We let them get on those two runs and that made separation in the game,” Edinburgh coach Keith Witty said. “They had a 19-2 run in the final two minutes of the second quarter and the first three of the third and it’s hard to overcome that kind of run.”
Sherman came off the bench to hit four 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead Hauser while the 6-foot-9 Gross finished with 20 to give the Jets an impressive 1-2 punch.
“Alex has a really great basketball mind and when we get it into him, if he can take it he will, if not, he’ll kick it back out,” Roth said. “Those guys have played together a long, long time and they really know basketball.”
Henderson hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points to lead Edinburgh. Jordan Myers chipped in eight for the Lancers.
Hauser’s next game won’t be until Dec. 29 when it begins play in the tough South Ripley tournament. Edinburgh turns right around and travels to Monrovia tonight.
“When a team goes on a run we need to make a stop and stop the bleeding,” Witty said. “Fortunately for us, we get to play tomorrow night, so not too much time to frown upon it. It was a conference game and we would have liked to have won it, but we’ve got to build upon it and keep getting better.”
