Fast start lifts Highland boys

The Highland boys? basketball team comes into each game with one goal, according to Huskie junior Tucker Hall.

It?s safe to say it was successful on Monday night, as Hall hit five 3-pointers in the first half, leading Highland to a 63-45 home victory over WACO.

?We come into every game with the idea that we know we can shoot the ball, and we share the ball,? Hall said. ?Trent (Lasek) likes giving me the ball, I like giving him the ball. It doesn?t matter who it is, as long as we?ve knocked down shots, we like it.?

The Huskies used a fast start to open up the game, leading 17-2 in what felt like the blink of an eye.

By halftime, Highland extended its lead to 20 points, 37-17, over WACO, but in the second half, WACO battled back.

?We knew they were shooters and we tried to stress (Tucker Hall), and the fact that he got that many open looks is our own fault,? WACO head coach Bob Hilmer said. ?They had the intensity in the first couple minutes that we didn?t quite have, and we got ourselves in a big hole. In the second half, we abandoned the zone and went to man-to-man, and played it pretty good. They are a good team, and we knew that going in. ?

After Highland extended its lead to 47-24, WACO went on a 12-0 run to close out the third quarter, to close the gap to 47-36.

?Going into the game, we wanted to keep it a basketball game, and not a match of physicality,? Highland head coach Marcus Hall said. ?They have some bulldogs down low, and they uglied the game up on us. We had to refind our rhythm, which is sometimes hard to do coming out of halftime.?

In the fourth quarter, Highland squashed any thoughts WACO had of a comeback, with another 3-pointer by Tucker Hall, as Highland cruised to the victory.

It?s the third win in a row for the Huskies, after a tough 78-65 loss to Winfield-Mt. Union, and senior Jesse Wollrab thinks things turned around after that game.

?Our practices have been way more intense,? Wollrab said. ?We are going at each other non-stop. We are all friends with each other, but once we hit that court, it?s fair game.?

Highland will prepare for a rematch against Iowa Mennonite on Tuesday night, and despite losing a heartbreaker to IMS earlier in the season, 62-61, on free throws, they are treating this like any game.

?We have to bring it, just like we did tonight,? Wollrab said. ?WACO is a really good team, and every team in this conference can play. We have to show up for IMS.?

With only a one-day turnaround, Marcus Hall thinks it will benefit his team in the end.

?If I had to pick, I?d say it?s more of a benefit than a detriment,? Hall said. ?We are in shape like that with rhythm. It was an efficient night for us, and I?m not worried about our legs. Our guys are well versed in recovery, so I?m not worried about a lack of energy from them tomorrow night.?

Highland will start the girls?-boys? doubleheader at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, while WACO will travel to Louisa-Muscatine.