MEN’S BASKETBALL

Anything goes in the Crossroads League. Just ask the #17 HU men’s basketball team who ended up on the wrong end of a 78-76 decision on the road at Marian Saturday afternoon. The loss snaps a four-game win streak Alford and crew brought into the Physical Education Center.

The Foresters have lost just three games this season, all to CL schools, to drop to 12-3 on the year which includes a 2-3 league record. Bethel remains the only undefeated team in league play at 5-0 while Grace, Spring Arbor and Saint Francis are all carrying a 4-1 CL record. HU is currently deadlocked with Taylor and Marian (8-7, 2-3) for fifth place in the standings.

To say it was a dogfight would be an understatement. After 16 ties and 22 lead changes, the game came down to the final seconds with Huntington afforded the last shot for either the win or the tie. Unfortunately, Lane Sparks’ shot in the paint at the buzzer rolled off the rim much to the glee of the home crowd. Twenty seconds prior, Noah Lovan calmly drained a pair of free throws to give his team the two-point advantage of 78-76 which proved the final score.

No more than six points ever separated the two squads with Huntington enjoying that spread with 4:25 remaining on a putback by Roman Bruwier that gave his team a 74-68 edge. A quick timeout by Marian got them back on course as they rattled off the next six points to knot things up at 74 with two minutes to go. Another Bruwier bucket in the paint tipped the scales in favor of HU one last time before things went sideways for the guests.

Lovan nailed two free throws prior to his game-winning tosses to which Huntington had no answer over the final 75 seconds of the contest.

Drew Goodline topped HU with 18 points and four assists. Sparks tossed in 17 points and recorded three steals. Kaden Johnson finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks while Maximus Gizzi, a former Knight, added nine points, seven boards and three assists.

Lovan went off for 30 points to lead all scorers. Aidan Franks dropped in 26 while Dylan Moles posted ten points and eight assists.

Next up is a showdown with #16 Grace inside Platt Arena on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.