MEN’S BASKETBALL

The #17 Forester men’s basketball team wrapped up 2024 with a 79-64 win over Olivet Nazarene Monday afternoon at Platt Arena. With this win, HU extends their win streak to four and improves to 12-2 on the season.

The win also closes out the non-conference portion of Huntington’s regular season schedule with a perfect 10-0 record.

After six ties and eight lead changes through the first 32-and-a-half minutes of action, it was Jackson Paul’s traditional three-point play that finally put his team in command for good. Up until that point with only one exception, no more than two possessions separated the two squads. Paul’s and one was part of a 15-2 run that turned the tables from an HU disparity of 56-53 into an HU lead of 68-58 with just over four minutes remaining.

While Jackson started the run, Maximus Gizzi put the finishing touches on the day with a pair of long balls, one from each corner, and two free tosses in the latter part of the contest to keep the Tigers at arm’s length. He also took a critical charge just before his second triple to keep ONU from getting any closer than seven points down the stretch.

A glaring difference in the game was the 21 points HU scored off of 12 Olivet Nazarene miscues while ONU managed just eight points off of ten Huntington turnovers. Alford’s crew also shot nearly ten percent better from the floor than their guests by going 27-for-53 for 50.9 percent while limiting the Tigers to 42.1 percent shooting (24-for-57).

Lane Sparks topped all scorers with 25 points. Landen Jordan added 17 points and five rebounds. Gizzi and Drew Goodline tossed in 12 and 11 points respectively. Goodline also handed out five assists and corralled just as many boards. Paul finished with nine points as the starters accounted for all but five of HU’s total points. Kaden Johnson enjoyed team-high rebounding honors with eight. He also swatted two shots.

ONU was led by Eli Edwards’ 17 points and ten boards. Other double digit scorers for the Tigers included Caleb Corro with 12 and Daniel Murphy and Caleb Swearingen each with 11.

HU is back in action January 4 to take on Marian at 3:00 p.m.