MEN’S BASKETBALL

The 19th-ranked Huntington men’s basketball team manhandled the visiting Knights of Marian University, 83-62, Saturday afternoon inside Platt Arena.

It was obvious from opening tip the Foresters were playing with purpose which was to avenge a 78-76 loss to MU in early January. Mission accomplished as Alford and crew led from start to finish to improve to19-5 overall, 9-5 in league play.

HU scored the game’s first eight points with Maximus Gizzi’s traditional three-point play capping off the fast start. The Forester floor general, having sported a Marian jersey for four years, fanned the flame of Huntington’s determined play on this given day. In addition to finishing the afternoon with 15 points, three rebounds and two assists, he spearheaded a defense that has limited opponents to an average of just 63 points over the last three games.

While the Foresters couldn’t completely shake the Knights until the final few minutes, there were only a few instances that it was a one-possession contest. The first was the 90-second span at the beginning of the game between Drew Goodline’s game-opening jumper and his three shortly after. The second time lasted about that long too when the Knights had closed the gap to 14-11 just under seven minutes in.

After that, HU’s lead hovered around ten points which included a 36-26 disparity at the break until Lane Sparks caught fire with about eight minutes remaining. With the scoreboard reading 63-53, Sparks unleashed for 13 points to fuel HU’s final push that extended the lead beyond 20 points to leave Marian in the rearview mirror.

It’s the eighth time this season the Foresters have enjoyed a 20+ point win.

Sparks finished with a game-best 22 points. In addition to Gizzi’s 15 points, other Foresters in double figures included Goodline with 11 and Cade Brenner who sparked HU off the bench by dropping in four triples for 12 points.

Gavin Foe and Aidan Franks each tossed in 16 to pace Marian while Dylan Moles came up with 13 points. Foe pulled down a game-best eight rebounds.

The Foresters hit the road on Wednesday to face #12 Grace, currently tied with Bethel for first in the CL standings, at 7:30 p.m. The Lancers slipped past HU by four the first time these two squads squared off last month.