'You have to play almost perfect': Lutheran East a little too much for Hiland
BERLIN — Most high school gyms don't have banners like the Perry Reese Center.
With nine state championships between the boys and girls basketball programs at Hiland, the expectations are always high. Especially after back-to-back state trips and its most experienced roster in several years, Hiland's boys entered the year with high hopes.
It's why the Hawks schedule teams like defending Division III state champion Lutheran East. Even if they lose, they're doing whatever they can to get better for when it matters most.
Lutheran East prevailed 52-42 in Friday's First Federal Holiday Showcase finale, but Hiland proved it could hang with the best talent in the state, staying within striking distance until the very end against the undefeated Falcons.
Armed with 6-foot-9 Michigan State commit Jesse McCulloch and deep group of quick, skilled guards, Lutheran East entered Friday with a 7-0 record, including a 14-point win over St. Vincent-St. Mary. Despite losing All-Ohioans Cody Head (graduation) and TJ Crumble (transfer to Richmond Heights), the Falcons look like a threat to win a third state title in four years.
"You have to play almost perfect to beat a team like Lutheran East because they're that good," Hiland coach Mark Schlabach said. "I thought we were close. It's a rebound here or there. You obviously have to make your open shots because you don't get many of them. We had a couple chances there late to cut into it."
Hiland cut the Falcons' lead to one late in the third quarter before a 4-0 run ended the quarter and gave them some breathing room.
And McCulloch took over in the fourth, including a dunk that broke the rim away from its set position and a turnaround baseline jumper very few high school players have in their arsenal. He scored seven of his team-high 14 points in the fourth.
"McCulloch showed why he's going to Michigan State and might be Mr. Basketball in Ohio in everything," Schlabach said. "That fourth quarter, he was really good. ... Even more than that is how he affects the game defensively. It just felt like any time we had an opening, he was there."
Schlabach still liked the way Hiland defended McCulloch, with 6-foot-7 Alex Yoder tackling the assignment, along with constant double teams any time the ball went inside.
"I thought Alex really battled him," Schlabach said. "(McCulloch) made some really tough shots. He's phenomenal. He recognized that we were doubling from the middle and then he attacked us with baseline spins. A lot of things that high school kids don't feel, he feels."
Nick Wigton's and-one pulled Hiland within six with 4:11 remaining but Lutheran East had too many answers down the stretch for the Hawks to mount a comeback. Falcons freshman Chris Hill scored 10 points and senior Anthony Bruce had nine.
Despite the loss, Hiland didn't leave discouraged. For the first time this year, the Hawks played with its full roster — outside of the injured Ashton Schrock — and looked like they can compete with anyone in Division IV.
"That's why we wanted to play Lutheran East," Schlabach said. "If we get to the end of the year, where we want to be, we're going to be playing a team like Lutheran East, probably with no rest and without a lot of time to prepare. Hopefully if we get to that point, we're not shell-shocked in that game. We can compete in that game, and if we play really well, we can win that game."
Sammy Detweiler scored a game-high 17 points during his first game of the year and Nick Wigton continued his strong season with 12 points, including some of most creative buckets of the night.
Lutheran East saw Friday as a chance to chase its own state dreams too.
"It gets us ready for the playoffs," McCulloch said. "We're going to face a lot of teams that are mentally tough like them. They're coached very well. They play really hard."
Northridge 41, Smithville 36
Smithville had several chances to tie or take the lead in the final minute but Northridge's defense held on to hand the Smithies their fourth loss of the year.
In a game that mirrored losses to Triway and Norwayne in some ways, the Smithies spent most of the game trying to get over the hump but fell just short of breaking through.
"I don't think we've had one game this year where we've felt like our guys all played well," Smithville coach Corey Kaufman said. "It's kind of sprinkled here and there with one or two. And some of that is normal but we just need to figure out how to get those other guys to stay aggressive and still play well."
Jax Riggenbach's play was an encouraging sign for Smithville, however. The sophomore led Smithville with 13 points and have them some much-needed offense on a night where offense was not abundant.
"Jax had a great offseason for us, played well in the summer and had a really good fall," Kaufman said. "I feel like he's really turning the corner for us and that really helps us."
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This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Boys Hoops: Lutheran East topples Hiland in state contender matchup
