Willard suffers first SBC Bay loss

HURON — If outside expectations determined championships, Huron could've plopped the SBC Bay Division crown on its head before the season began. Of course, that's not how it works. Instead, the Tigers dropped two of their first three league games. Their returning stars and young talent weren't always in sync. The defending co-champions found themselves in danger of falling in a deep hole in the league race before the second round of games even began. But the team that had so many believers before stepping on the floor didn't earn all those plaudits for nothing. Huron's got championship experience and talented athletes. So it isn't time to totally alter the preseason tune just yet. The Tigers look to be hitting their stride. "Willard played hard, but it was just finally nice to get a good, big victory," Huron coach Bobby James said. Huron (5-4, 3-2 SBC Bay) handed Willard (6-7, 4-1) its first league loss on Friday night in a 50-37 victory for the Tigers. Dylan Hohler led the way with 27 points, 19 rebounds and four assists, including 13 points in the fourth quarter. "Tonight was a great team win," James said. "A great team effort defensively. We just got after it defensively, and I couldn't be more proud of our kids for the way they got down and followed the scouting report." The Flashes were led by 14 points from Max Dawson. Alex Strayer added eight points and eight rebounds, with Cam Robinson pitching in eight points and five rebounds. Willard is now tied atop the Bay Division with Margaretta, each at 4-1. The two teams will meet next Friday in Castalia. "(Huron) protected their home court," Willard coach Joe Bedingfield said. "That's what I told the kids. Everybody made a big deal about this game, and I told the guys, nobody wins anything in January. Just keep going, get better and learn from it." Bedingfield said the Flashes expected a fast-paced game, but instead it turned into a slug-it-out showdown. The Tigers led 11-10 after one as Hohler and Dawson each scored seven points. Hohler guarded Dawson man-to-man in the first half and held him to just one additional point in the second quarter. Huron went on an 11-2 run to start the second quarter, with a Luke Rager 3-pointer and a Hohler drive putting the Tigers up 22-14. That surge, and the ones to come, were keyed by defense. It was less than a month ago that James was extremely displeased with Huron's work at that end. But in their last two league games, home against Oak Harbor and then Willard, the Tigers have allowed a total of 70 points. "Dylan in the first half with his length on Dawson made a little bit of a difference," James said. "And then when we switched Luke onto him, that was the best defensive game he played in two years. We were able to have help with Jackson, and Jake (Lagando) did a great job of showing on ball screens… We didn't hold them down because of one guy. We held them down because all five guys were on the same page defensively." Huron led 23-14 at half, with sophomore Jackson McNulty adding six points to the mix. He was working his way back to full fitness after an injury and has finally reached the level the Tigers need from him. "It's a progression with (McNulty)," James said. "... The trainer and I had a plan for him, and he's not in 100 percent shape, but finally we got him where we needed him to be. You saw with Dylan's length and Jackson's length in the first half, we just played great team defense." McNulty finished an and-1 for his first bucket, then went up strong on two nice feeds from Hohler. "He's playing great on defense and communicating, making his layups, and also crashing the boards," Hohler said of McNulty said. An Isaac Robinson jumper pulled Willard within three early in the second half, but then Hohler made two game-defining plays. "I told him, 'Dylan, it's time. Big-time players show up in big time games,'" James said. First, he grabbed two offensive rebounds in the same possession before converting an and-1 and making the free throw. Immediately at the other end, he drew a charge on Cam Robinson, the Willard junior's fourth foul. Hohler then dished to McNulty for a lay-in a few possessions later to go up seven. Willard got as close as a point when Strayer faded away at the third-quarter buzzer for two. But the Flashes didn't have enough offense down the stretch as Huron's 31-30 advantage ballooned to the 13-point final margin. "They did a nice job on Max, they've got athleticism," Bedingfield said. "We got a little out of sync offensively, maybe needed to stick with our base a little bit more." Hohler helped Huron breathe easy down the stretch. He opened the fourth quarter with a finish through a foul, then made both ends of a one-and-one. The 6-foot-4 senior turned a steal into a three-point play, a personal 7-0 run for an eight-point lead. "He really took over and did what he had to do to will us to the win," James said. Huron's star scored six more points before the night was out — a drive left along the baseline, a trip to the line after an offensive rebound and a fastbreak eurostep off his own defensive board. "Dylan's a really good player," Bedingfield said. "It doesn't help with Cam guarding him and being in foul trouble all night." There's still lots of basketball to be played, including a Huron rematch in Willard on Feb. 17. But Friday's win was crucial for the Tigers to keep themselves alive in the hunt to defend their league co-championship. Now just a game behind Margaretta and Willard, Huron is on a roll and looking at a manageable journey up the standings. "It just opens the door for us," Hohler said. "We know we can play with the best." WILLARD (6-7, 4-1) Max Dawson 4 4—14, Cam Robinson 1 5—8, Isaac Robinson 2 0—4, Alex Strayer 3 2—8, Grant Shaarda 1 0—3. TOTALS 11 11—37. HURON (5-4, 4-2) Dylan Hohler 9 8—27, Luke Rager 3 1—8, Jake Lagando 0 1—1, Adam Murray 1 0—2, Jackson McNulty 4 0—8, Evan LaCivita 0 2—2, Sam Lee 1 0—2. TOTALS 18-12—50. Willard 10 7 13 7 — 37Huron 11 12 8 19 — 50 3-point FGs: (W) Dawson 2, C. Robinson, Shaarda; (H) Hohler, Rager.