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Boys Basketball: Lowell edges Highland in shootot
LOWELL — They all had the green light.
Didn’t matter if the uniform was red and white, or blue.
Highland and Lowell both came into Saturday’s game with itchy trigger fingers and no holiday rust — at least, offensively.
Lowell, with the help of sophomore Zach VanHook’s 24 points, defeated the Trojans 75-70 in a shoot-out Saturday.
The Red Devils iced the game when Austin Magley, who made 7-of-9 free throws in the fourth quarter, made a pair of free throws with 16.1 seconds left, giving the Red Devils a 74-70 lead.
Lowell had left the door slightly ajar for the Trojans on the previous possession after Magley made one of two free throws, but Jordan Minch missed a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left that would’ve tied the game. The ball bounced long off the rim and the Red Devils rebounded it, ending the Trojans’ hope for a victory.
Lowell coach Nate Richie was grateful for the win. The Red Devils upped their record to 4-7.
“We needed that,” he said. “The kids needed it.”
VanHook, a lanky 6-4 sophomore, was quietly efficient. He is also longer than his size and his midrange game is dead on. He made 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range.
“He can do some nice things,” Richie said.
VanHook, who scored 31 this year against Hanover Central, said Richie just told him to “let it fly.” Seemed to work — for the whole team. The Red Devils shot 61.5 percent (24-of-39) overall.
For the Trojans, it was a disappointing defensive effort.
Highland coach Ed Fierek said his team has avoided the long ruts of poor defensive play for the most part.
“We just didn’t come to play defensively,” he said. “That’s not like us.”
Fierek was hoping for a better shot at the end than the one Minch took. Highland had time to work the ball closer for an easier shot or at least get a better look at a 3-pointer.
“That wasn’t why we lost,” Fierek said.
It was an action-packed first half, for both teams.
Highland opened up a 12-3 lead when Brandon Reyes made a 3-pointer with 5:40 left in the first quarter. The Trojans made it 14-3 after a couple of free throws by Michael Anderson. Highland was hot, making 4-of-5 from the field in the first three minutes.
Lowell responded with a flurry of its own hot shooting.
The Red Devils went on a 20-5 run that gave them a 38-30 lead. The Red Devils dug themselves out of the early hole by shooting 68.2 percent from the field. They also made 6-of-9 3-pointers.
Highland was almost as good from the floor in the first half, making 13-of-26 from the field and 4-of-9 from the 3-point line.
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