Hillsboro?s 48-42 loss to Hutchinson Trinity Tuesday night in the first round of sub-state tournament play marked a disappointing end to the 2014-15 campaign — but it followed an eerily familiar pattern that has characterized the team?s fortunes late in the season.
The Trojans played hard all night, led for much of the first half, then saw victory slip away late in a flurry of missed shots and a sprinkle of untimely turnovers.
Micah Allen got Hillsboro going in the opening minutes, hitting a three-pointer and two-pointer before the home team got on the scoreboard with a free throw at the 4:13 mark. With Preston Loewen adding back-to-back baskets, David Dick hitting a three and Loewen scoring on a drive in the lane, the Trojans were standing strong with a 14-5 lead as the quarter ended.
But Hillsboro hit one of its familiar scoring lulls as the second quarter started. It didn?t end until Allen scored a field goal at the 3:44 mark — but by then the Celtics had taken an 18-14 lead. They led 20-19 as the half ended.
The Trojans launched a 10-3 scoring burst through the first three minutes of the third quarter, only to fall into another scoring drought. Hillsboro?s only point over the final five minutes was a free throw by Grant Knoll.
Even so, the Trojans, trailing 32-30, were positioned for a win as the fourth quarter started — if they could find some offensive spark. When Allen followed a two-pointer with a three-pointer a few seconds on either side of the 5:30 mark, victory was still within reach with Trinity barely ahead, 37-35.
But the final lull was fatal. The Trojans made only two free throws in nine attempts, and only two baskets in eight tries from the floor. That?s all Trinity needed to nail down a six-point victory.
For the night, Hillsboro shot 34 percent from the field (14-41), but just under 24 percent from the free-throw line (4-17).
With the loss, the Trojans closed the book on a 9-12 season that ended with a seven-game losing streak after a 9-5 start. Trinity improved to 11-10 for the year and will face No. 1 seeded Hesston in the sub-state semifinals Friday night.
