Hawks’ huge rally stuns Titans, snaps two-
Hiland's Sam Habeger had his way with Triway after a slow start. Habeger poured in a game-high 22 points as Hiland rallied from an early 17-3 deficit to post a 56-49 win.
Following a disappointing loss to the Tusky Valley Trojans that sent his team to a second straight defeat, Hiland boys basketball coach Mark Schlabach said, “I’m not quite sure where we are at right now.”
On Tuesday, Jan. 14 at their home in the Reese Center, Schlabach knew exactly where his team was. It was trailing visiting one-loss Triway 17-3 in the first period.
However, if the Hawks were searching for something, they certainly seemed to have found it. Because after the Titans went on a 14-0 run, the Hawks responded with a 14-0 run of their own and went on to post an impressive 56-49 win that should go a long way in giving the Hawks plenty of identity and confidence.
Led by brothers Chance Wells and Chase Wells and Kyle Sturgin, Triway built a 17-3 lead and looked poised to show everyone why they are one of the area’s top teams.
Then a couple of strange things happened, and this game got turned on its head in a hurry. One, Hiland sub Grant Miller came into the game and hit a huge 3-pointer that seemed to ignite the Hawks, and two, Hiland’s defense stepped up and started to dominate. After Chance Wells buried a triple on Triway’s first possession of the second quarter to spot the Titans to a 21-7 edge, Triway would not score again.
Hiland started taking advantage inside on both ends of the floor, where Sam Habeger scored six points and Korrie Hostetler added four in the midst of Hiland’s own 14-0 run that tied the score at 21-all.
If Hiland’s 14-point barrage to end the first half was impressive, its offensive effort against a feisty and talented Triway defense in the third quarter was epic. The Hawks reeled off 19 points in the frame to surge to a double-digit lead. Now it was Will Schlabach’s turn to fire up the home crowd. His runner in the lane was followed by a 3-pointer.
Habeger added a 3-pointer and scored inside, and Miller ripped another trey. Hunter Sommers, Schlabach and Hostetler were making life tough on Triway on the defensive end, and the Hawks held an almost inconceivable 40-30 lead through three quarters.
While the Hawks were rolling, few in the Reese Center felt this one was over, and the Titans’ pressure defense kept haunting Hiland. With the Hawks up by 10 with three minutes to play, Triway forced Hiland into four turnovers.
Chance Wells hit a trey, two free throws and a score inside to trim Hiland’s advantage to five. However, on this night it was simply too much.
Habeger, who was a force inside and outside, hit a 3-pointer and added a score inside to go with three free throws, and the Hawks turned to Schlabach to take care of business down the stretch, the junior canning all four of his free throws as Hiland held off the Titans to improve to 11-3 on the campaign and send Triway to its second defeat.
Habeger ended the night with 22 points, Schlabach added 13, Hostetler scored eight, Sommers added six and Miller came off the bench to provide six big points.
Triway was led by Chance Wells’ 17 points while Channer Wells added 13 and Sturgin chipped in with eight.
Against a lanky and quick Tusky Valley team, the Hawks found themselves trailing at every stop in the 43-33 road loss, although that too came with plenty of drama. Down 31-24 heading into the final quarter, the final-four minutes saw the Hawks wage a fierce comeback bid.
Trailing by nine, Habeger hit a jumper, Sommers scored on a put-back and another Habeger put-back drew the Hawks to within two. After Hostetler took a charge, Hiland had a chance to tie or take the lead, but Schlabach’s 3-pointer was off the mark, and Steven Gilland took the ball the distance for an and-one.
Hiland would not score again.