The Washington Blue Lions hosted the Hillsboro Indians Friday night on the eve of an expected accumulative snowfall that is predicted for southern Ohio.
The game marked a return to FAC play for the Blue Lions after the holiday and Washington came away with a 51-39 victory.
The Blue Lions improve to 5-1 in the Frontier Athletic Conference, 8-3 overall.
The Indians fall to 1-5 in the FAC.
Senior Blaise Tayese shared game high-scoring honors, leading Washington with 16 points.
Senior Richie Burns scored 12 points and fellow seniors Evan Upthegrove and Omar Porter had eight and seven points, respectively.
Senior Ethan Watson scored 16 for Hillsboro, including hitting three three-point field goals.
Sophomore Brad Miller scored 10 and sophomore Ryan Scott chipped in six points.
It was a good start for the Blue Lions, as the home team took an 18-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Washington was in a good place at the half, leading 30-13.
The teams were even in the third quarter, both squads hitting for 14 points.
Hillsboro had 12 in the fourth to seven for Washington to set the final at 51-39.
“We went nine deep tonight and every one we brought in off the bench contributed,” Washington head coach Connor Scott said. “Our defense as a team tonight was really good. We had only given up 13 points at halftime. We gave up 39 for the game. The last time we played Hillsboro, they scored 53. Defensively, I was very proud of us.
“Blaise had 16 tonight,” Scott said. “He finished well around the rim. He had two and-ones.
“Richie was very active tonight,” Scott said. “He was really good defensively for us.
“Evan did not turn the ball over,” Scott said. “He hit a big shot in the third quarter for us when I didn’t think we had a lot of energy.
“Omar did not turn the ball over tonight,” Scott said. “Defensively, he was very active.
“Our fifth starter tonight was Garitt Leisure,” Scott said. “He made some incredible passes in transition. He guarded really, really well.”
Washington’s game at Grandview Heights, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 12, was cancelled.
The Blue Lions will host the Waverly Tigers Tuesday with the j-v game beginning at 6 p.m.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
W 18 12 14 7 — 51
H 8 5 14 12 — 39
WASHINGTON — Eli Lynch 0-0-0; Evan Upthegrove 2 (1)-1-8; Miguel O’Flaherty 0-1-1; Blaise Tayese 7-2-16; Garitt Leisure 1 (1)-2-7; Omar Porter 2 (1)-0-7; Karson Runk 0-0-0; Brice Cartwright 0-0-0; Drew Moats 0-0-0; Richie Burns 6-0-12; Ethan Rogers-Wright 0-0-0; Mitchell Lotz 0-0-0. TOTALS — 18 (3)-6-51. Free throw shooting: 6 of 16 for 38 percent. Three-point field goals: Upthegrove, Leisure, Porter. Turnovers: 12.
HILLSBORO — Mason Swayne 0-1-1; Gavin Temple 0-0-0; Luke Magulac 2-0-4; Ryan Scott 0 (1)-3-6; Ethan Watson 3 (3)-1-16; Lawton Parry 0-0-0; Nick Lewis 0-0-0; Jarrod Thompson 0-0-0; Gabe Mycroft 0-0-0; Brad Miller 5-0-10; Reece Bloomfield 0-2-2. TOTALS — 10 (4)-7-39. Free throw shooting: 7 of 10 for 70 percent. Three-point field goals: Watson, 3; Scott.
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In the j-v game Friday, Hillsboro edged the Blue Lions, 39-37.
Rishaun Burns and Miguel O’Flaherty shared team high scoring honors for Washington, each with nine points.
Burns hit three three-point field goals for Washington. O’Flaherty, Brice Cartwright and Mitchell Lotz each connected for one three.
Lotz was next in scoring with seven points.
Gabe Mycroft was the game’s leading scorer for Hillsboro with 10 points.
Jayse Middleton had seven points for the Indians.
The game was tied 8-8 at the end of the first quarter.
At halftime, Hillsboro held a 17-15 lead.
The Indians took a 27-23 lead into the final quarter.
Washington outscored Hillsboro 14-12 in the fourth for the 39-37 final.
The Blue Lions will host Waverly Tuesday at 6 p.m.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
W 8 7 8 14 — 37
H 8 9 10 12 — 39
WASHINGTON — Eli Lynch 1-2-4; Clayton Howland 0-1-1; Miguel O’Flaherty 3 (1)-0-9; Rishaun Burns 0 (3)-0-9; Karson Runk 2-0-4; Brice Cartwright 0 (1)-0-3; Ethan Rogers-Wright 0-0-0; Mitchell Lotz 0 (1)-4-7. TOTALS — 6 (6)-7-37. Free throw shooting: 7 of 11 for 64 percent. Three-point field goals: Burns, 3; O’Flaherty, Cartwright, Lotz.
HILLSBORO — Nick Lewis 1-0-2; Jeremy Kemper 2-0-4; Coltin Hunter 2-2-6; Shane Sullivan 0-0-0; Ethan Parry 0-4-4; Jayse Middleton 1 (1)-2-7; Blake Tira 1-1-3; Quinton Captain 1-1-3; Gabe Mycroft 3-4-10. TOTALS — 11 (1)-14-39. Free throw shooting: 14 of 17 for 82 percent. Three-point field goal: Middleton.
