CENTERBURG – For the second straight game, the Highland Scots used the second half to demonstrate their dominance in the conference.
Mack Anglin scored 14 points after halftime, finishing with a game-high 22 in Highland’s 59-36 victory over rival Centerburg.
“We kept our cool and played ball,” Anglin said. “We stuck with the game plan from the start. We figured if we kept up our intensity, it would pay off.”
The Scots entered the break leading by 3. They came out scoring 13 unanswered points, leading to a 33-13 advantage in the final two periods.
Highland committed just two turnovers in the second half. The Scots finished the game with eight – their second straight game with single-digits in the turnover column.
“We’ve had some games where we took it on the chin, because we didn’t play as a team,” Highland coach Chris Powell said. “But we learned from those. I wouldn’t trade those losses for anything, because we learned from them.
“When you’re willing to share the ball, the shots will find you. We have a number of guys who can make plays. When it’s your turn, you can make a play. It’s their willingness to play together. Their chemistry is awesome.”
Highland (8-6, 8-1 Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference) withstood the jeers from a wild Centerburg crowd to take a 5-0 lead early in the first. The lead never grew to more than eight in the first half. The Trojans matched the Scots blow-for-blow on both sides of the court until halftime.
That all changed in the third, when Anglin and Ian Taylor each scored on three-point plays, and Branton Howard sank a 3-pointer. The Trojans (8-5, 6-3) did not score for the first five minutes of the period; by then, the game already seemed out of reach, and the fans were quiet – unusual for a Centerburg home game.
“We let down a little bit defensively,” Centerburg coach Sky Brusco said. “They pressured us on both ends, which I think shook us up a bit.”
On Tuesday, Highland held a 27-23 lead over Danville before outscoring the Blue Devils, 30-12, in the second half.
Highland moves into a two-game lead over Centerburg, Fredericktown and East Knox with five games to go. Mathematically, there are still opportunities for the Trojans to move into the top spot. But Brusco admits his team is in a rough spot.
“Obviously, we need help at this point,” he said. “But, we’re going to play hard all the time. They’re going to play hard no matter what. And we have our goals in February for the tournament.”
The first period matched the energy in the Centerburg gymnasium, as both teams came out firing. The teams each hit 3-pointers and low-percentage shots, reminding some in the stands of a heavyweight title fight with both boxers throwing knockout blows in the first round.
Highland hit 5 out of 6 shots from beyond the arc in the first period. Centerburg hit just one; however, the Trojans scored twice on second-chance plays to keep the game close, 17-12.
Both teams settled down in the second period, with defenses getting the upper hand and preventing good looks. Carter Jones hit a late 3-pointer to narrow the gap to 26-23 at the break.
“We had good heart. We closed the gap on them,” Brusco said. “There’s no quit in these guys. They play really hard.”
Hayden Hankinson added nine points for Centerburg. Dalton Hall scored four points, all on free throws.
Taylor scored eight points for Highland. Teammate Andrew Wheeler had seven points, and Howard scored six.
Centerburg was hurt on the free-throw line, going just 7 for 19.
The Scots will look for their first nonconference win of the season on Tuesday at River Valley, while Centerburg travels to Bishop Ready.
“There’s still a lot of work to do,” Anglin said. “You can’t fall asleep on anyone. We got a good win today, but that’s all in the past now.”
