MEN’S BASKETBALL

The HU men’s basketball team opened up its season in convincing fashion with a 100-49 routing of Ohio University Chillicothe (0-3). It’s the second straight year Huntington hit the century mark against the Hilltoppers with last season’s W a 100-57 decision.

Nine different Foresters put points on the board with six reaching double digits. Konner Platt led the way with a game-high 21 points, all from deep, in addition to enjoying game-high rebounding honors with 11 for the double double.

University of Maine transfer Lewis Wang dropped in 14 to go along with handing out seven dimes. Andrew Yoder and Spencer Ballinger each tossed in 13 points while HU’s fifth starter Caleb Middlesworth added 11. David Arens came off the bench to bury a pair of triples on his way to 12 points.

As a team, Platt’s crew sizzled the nets to the tune of 62.9 percent (39-for-62) which included draining 19 threes at a clip of 54.3 percent. At the other end of the floor, Huntington’s defense was stifling as evidenced by limiting their hosts to just 18 field goals on 32.7 percent shooting. Hayden Mink was the only Hilltopper to reach double digits with 12 points.

Yoder logged his team’s first points of the season when he canned a long ball just over a minute into the contest. Seven minutes later, he nailed another one to give his team its first double digit advantage of the evening at 22-12. Chillicothe would trim it seven twice over the next two minutes before the lead ballooned permanently to double digits.

The Foresters built an 18-point advantage, 47-29, by the break before reeling off 17 consecutive points over a four-minute spell to blow the game wide open at 76-37 by the midway point of the second frame. The 17-0 run showcased four different Foresters knocking down a three. When all was said and done, seven members of Platt’s crew scored from downtown with Arens’ triple with 41 seconds remaining extending HU’s score to triple digits.

The evening also saw Keegan Fetters do a little bit of everything in his first outing in Forester green and white. The 6-4 sophomore was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field for seven points. He also doled out a game-best nine assists and posted five rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 20 minutes of action.

HU (1-0) hits the road on Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. matchup with #13 IU East.