MEN’S BASKETBALL

The (RV) Huntington men’s basketball team saw its four-game win streak come to an end Saturday afternoon, dropping an 82–76 decision to No. 7 Bethel at the Wiekamp Athletic Center. The loss opens the 2026 calendar year with the Foresters now sitting at 11–4 overall and 2–3 in Crossroads League play, while the Pilots extend their winning streak to six and improve to 14–1 (4–1 CL).

While the opening twenty minutes did not go as planned, Huntington’s response after the break was nothing short of gritty. The numbers told the story of a flipped script after halftime – Bethel shot a scorching 63.3 percent in the opening half while holding Huntington to just 30.3 percent, but the final 20 minutes swung sharply in the Foresters’ favor as HU shot 61.5 percent and limited the Pilots to 35.7 percent.

HU struggled to find its rhythm early, managing just 25 first-half points and facing a 21-point deficit at intermission. Coming out of the locker room, however, Coach Jauch’s crew dialed up the defensive intensity and methodically chipped away at Bethel’s cushion.

The comeback effort gained traction midway through the second half as Cade Brenner sparked a 12-point swing with layups on either side of a Keylane Lasisi three, followed by a Brenner triple of his own to cut the deficit to 55–43. Miles Good later knocked down a pair of free throws at the midway point to pull Huntington within single digits (63–54) for the first time since the early minutes of the contest.

Momentum continued to swing with Kaden Johnson powering home a dunk and completing a traditional three-point play to make it a two-possession game with 7:35 remaining. Landon Biegel then carried the torch, scoring seven points in a 90-second stretch – two free throws, a layup and a deep three – to bring HU within two at 70–68 and officially put the game up for grabs.

Unfortunately, Huntington was never able to capture the lead, but with 1:39 remaining, a three-point attempt that would have tied the game rattled out. Bethel responded at the free-throw line on the ensuing possession, creating enough separation to hold on down the stretch for the six-point win.

Huntington finished the afternoon shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three, while knocking down 17-of-22 free throws. The Foresters totaled 33 rebounds and 20 assists while forcing eight Bethel turnovers.

Johnson led all Foresters with 19 points (15 in the second half), 13 rebounds and four assists, recording his fourth straight double-double and sixth of the season. Brenner added 13 points and five assists, Lasisi was ultra-efficient with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting and Biegel finished with 10 points off the bench. Jackson Paul chipped in 10 points and seven assists, while Good added nine points, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the stripe.

Bethel was paced by Austin Cripe, who poured in a game-high 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including four triples. Luke McBride followed with 19 points, while Alonas Peciulis added 11 points and six assists. The Pilots finished 50 percent from the floor and 47.6 percent from beyond the arc, proving just enough to withstand Huntington’s late charge.

The Foresters return to the friendly confines of Platt Arena Wednesday night to host Goshen, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.