CASHTON — Junior Max Stockwell scored a game-high 24 points to lead three players in double figures as Hillsboro held off Cashton in a Scenic Bluffs Conference game Thursday night.
Stockwell scored eight of his 24 points in the opening quarter as the visiting Tigers (7–3, 3–1 SBC) jumped out to a 19–6 lead.
The host Eagles (4–4, 2–2) caught fire in the second quarter and drained seven 3-pointers — three by Cody Gilbertson — to pull within three points at halftime, 34–31.
Cashton kept it close throughout the third quarter and the early minutes of the fourth, before Hillsboro pulled away.
Stockwell scored a pair of baskets and went 3-for-3 from the line in the final eight minutes.
Junior guard Joey Helgerson made four straight free throws down the stretch and finished with 16 points and fellow junior Hunter Stanek scored eight points in the final period to finish with 12 points —his three straight game in double figures.
Hillsboro made 9 of 11 from the free throw line to close out the game and outscored Cashton, 25–17, in the fourth quarter.
“We were very efficient offensively and got off to a great start,” said Hillsboro head coach Curt Hildreth. “They hit a bunch of threes on us in the second quarter to get back in the game.
“Joey Helgerson was really good for us all night, as well as Stockwell.”
Stockwell finished 24 points on 8 of 12 shooting and pulled in a team-high eight rebounds.
Stanek grabbed five boards and Helgerson added six assists, three steals and two rebounds.
Junior Tommy Crandall chipped in eight points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds.
Hillsboro hosted Bangor Tuesday night and will travel to Wonewoc–Center Friday.
Hillsboro 86, Kickapoo 37 (NC)
Last Tuesday Stanek scored a game-high 20 points on a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and 4-for-5 from the line to lead the Tigers to a lop-sided 86–37 non-conference victory at Kickapoo in a makeup game from Nov. 25. Stanek also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
As a team the Tigers shot an amazing 70 percent (35 of 50) from the field, including 8 of 13 (61 percent) from behind the 3-point line. Five Hillsboro players scored in double figures.
Helgerson made 4 of 5 from down town and finished with 12 points and four assists.
Stockwell added 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Tyler Crandall finished with 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, and Sawyer Hynek contributed 10 points and six rebounds.
“We played well as a team and got contributions from all of our players,” said Hildreth. “We become a lot more difficult to guard when we get contributions from multiple players.”
