Hillcrest tops Lone Tree for 7th straight victory

**Senior Aiden Krabill takes one into the hoop against Lone Tree on Tuesday night.**

Hillcrest Academy began the new year with the short trip to Lone Tree Tuesday and gained a solid 69-44 victory over the Lions. After trailing 11-7, the Ravens finished the first quarter on a 12-6 run to lead 19-17. The Ravens got some separation in the second period and a Bryce Bailey and-one gave Hillcrest a 39-27 lead at half-time. Grant Bender tallied 19 of his game-high 26 points in the first half to lead the charge. Hillcrest led 52-37 after three quarters and continued to pull away for the final margin.

Luke Schrock scored 16 points on 6-9 from the floor, including a trey and Josiah Beachy was 4-5 for nine points. Aiden Krabill scored six points and Seth Ours added five with one triple. Phoenix Anderson also dropped one from distance for three points. Alex Niemeyer completed the scoring with a free throw.

Jace Rempel had a team-high six assists in his first game back since December 3, and Schrock and Ours each dished for four assists. Beachy led with three steals and Schrock and Ours had two apiece. Bender pulled down nine rebounds and Schrock and Beachy each had six boards.

Coach Gingerich said, “A win is always a good win at Lone Tree, and I liked how we improved through the game with our intensity and execution. Defensively we were more locked in and we moved the ball at the offensive end, which always results in more assists and easier scores.”

The Ravens move to 6-1 in conference play, 7-1 overall, and next play Friday at home against conference frontrunner Winfield-Mt. Union.

Hillcrest tops Lone Tree for 7th straight victory
By Paul D. Bowker/The News

Lone Tree’s Lions were confident, speedy and ready.

Coming off their first road win of the season Monday at Midland, the Lions greeted Hillcrest Academy with a full-court pressure defense in their Southeast Iowa Super Conference game Tuesday night. Seven minutes into the opening quarter, Lone Tree held a three-point lead.

That’s precisely when Hillcrest junior forward Grant Bender began a career night.

Bender popped outside the perimeter to drill a 3-pointer with a minute left in the quarter to tie the game at 17 and then ended the quarter with a reverse layup for a two-point Hillcrest lead. The Lions never led again.

Bender scored a career-high 26 points and had a team-high 9 rebounds, leading the Ravens to their seventh consecutive victory, 66-44.

The win set up a showdown against Winfield-Mt. Union on Friday night. The Ravens (7-1 overall) are 6-1 in the conference and W-MU is 7-0.