MEN’S BASKETBALL

The #RV Huntington men’s basketball team delivered a composed road performance Wednesday night, knocking off Mount Vernon 81-74 inside Ariel Arena to complete the season sweep of the Cougars.

The win marked Huntington’s ninth straight victory over MVNU, a streak dating back to December of 2022, and followed HU’s 96-82 triumph in the first meeting just before Thanksgiving.

Huntington seized firm control late in the first half thanks to a perfectly executed 2-for-1 sequence. After head coach Jared Jauch called a timeout with under a minute remaining, Miles Good wasted no time, drilling a deep three from the wing. Mount Vernon came up empty on the ensuing possession, and Good struck again—drawing a foul on a three-point attempt as time expired. The junior calmly knocked down two free throws, capping a quick five-point burst that pushed HU’s lead to 45-33 at the break.

While the opening minutes featured several lead changes, that late first-half run proved decisive. From there, Huntington stayed in the driver’s seat the rest of the way.

The Foresters’ lead never grew beyond 14 in the second half, but just as importantly, Mount Vernon never got closer than two possessions after intermission. When MVNU’s Trent Koning trimmed the margin to 70-65 with just over four minutes remaining, Cade Brenner delivered the knockout response by burying a side-step three while getting fouled. Brenner completed the rare four-point play, restoring a nine-point cushion and quieting the rally.

Mount Vernon continued to threaten, cutting the deficit to four points three times in the final three minutes, but Huntington answered each time. Good sealed it with a tough pull-up banker in the lane with 45 seconds left, then added a free throw after a momentum-swinging Kaden Johnson block on MVNU’s Kieran Granville.

Huntington shot an efficient 50.9 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from three, while knocking down 15-of-19 free throws. The Foresters’ starters accounted for 71 of the team’s 81 points.

Good led the way with 21 points, adding three assists and three steals, while Brenner poured in 17 points, including 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Johnson posted a monster all-around night with 18 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks, and Jackson Paul chipped in 13 points and seven assists.

Mount Vernon was paced by Trent Koning, who finished with a game-high 28 points, draining seven three-pointers, five of them in the second half. Reed Platfoot added 15 points, while Peyton Heiss recorded a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Cougars.

With the win, Huntington improves to 16-5 overall and 7-4 in Crossroads League play, while Mount Vernon falls to 12-9 overall and 4-7 in league action. The Foresters now brace for a major test on Saturday, hosting #1 and undefeated Grace College at 3:00 p.m. inside Platt Arena.