HILLSBORO — Wyatt Floyd had 12 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter as East Clinton defeated Hillsboro 57-53 Tuesday in a South Central Ohio League game at the HHS gym.
With the win, the Astros open SCOL play at 1-0 and now stand 2-1 overall.
Floyd finished with 22 points in the second half after a lackluster first half from a scoring standpoint.
East Clinton led 10-7 after one and 26-15 at the half thanks to 13 points from J.T. McCarren, who hit the game-winning shot against Fayetteville on Sunday in the Ohio Valley Hoops Classic.
Phillip Mycroft had 15 points to lead Hillsboro, six of those in the second quarter.
The Indians made a bit of a push in the third period, cutting the deficit to 38-32 at the end of three quarters. Floyd began heating up in the third with 10 points but the best was yet to come. Cameron Conner had the only other points for the Astros in the third as they took a six-point lead into the final period.
Hillsboro picked up its offensive effort in the final frame, hitting for 21 points. The Indians canned four three-pointers, including two by Ethan Watson. Marshall Ward had eight of his 12 points in the fourth for HHS.
But none could match EC’s Floyd. The guard hit 8 of 10 free throws and joined with teammate Matt Mitchell to lead the Astros to a strong showing at the free throw line.
Mitchell made 4 of 4 at the line in the fourth and EC was 15 for 17 overall at the free throw line in the game. Hillsboro was just 3 for 7 at the line.
EC coach Tony Berlin said it was a total team effort in the win. He noted the play of Zach and Matt Mitchell along with Jacob Olds and Alex Pence.
“That’s what we worked on in practice, getting our defense in shape,” Berlin said. “After giving up 69 to Fairfield and 71 to Fayetteville, I wasn’t real happy but to hold them (Hillsboro) to 15 in the first half. I was real pleased.
“It was a good win for us on the road. I was pleased with the way we played.”
SUMMARY
December 6, 2016
@Hillsboro High School
East Clinton 57 Hillsboro 53
EC 10.16.12.19…..57
HB 07.08.17.21…..53
(57) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Jenkins 0-0-0-0 McCarrren 7-0-2/2-16 Floyd 9-1-9/11-28 Conner 2-1-0-5 Olds 0-0-0-0 Pence 2-0-0-4 Z. Mitchell 0-0-0-0 M. Mitchell 0-0-4/4-4. TOTALS 20-2 15/17-57
(53) HILLSBORO (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Reed 0-0-0-0 Ryan 1-0-0-2 Ward 5-1-1/2-12 Keets 6-1-0/1-13 Mycroft 7-0-1/2-15 Bell 0-0-0-0 Watson 4-2-1/2-11 Anderson 0-0-0-0 Haithcock 0-0-0-0. TOTALS 23-4-3/7-53
FIELD GOALS: EC 20-40 (Floyd 9-17, McCarren 7-8)
3 PT FIELD GOALS: EC 2-11
FREE THROWS: EC 15-17 (Floyd 9-11, M. Mitchell 4-4, McCarren 2-2)
REBOUNDS: EC-15 (McCarrren 6 Floyd 3 Pence 2 Jenkins 2)
ASSISTS: EC-9 (McCarren 3 Floyd 3 Jenkins 3)
STEALS: EC-8 (Jenkins 3 Conner 2)
BLOCKED SHOTS: EC-0
TAKE CHARGE: EC-4 (Pence, Z. Mitchell, Olds, McCarren)
TURNOVERS: EC-7
