MEN’S BASKETBALL

The #RV Huntington men’s basketball team finally shook a pesky Goshen squad Wednesday night at Platt Arena, using a strong finish to secure an 82–62 win over the Maple Leafs. With the victory, Huntington improved to 12-4 overall and 3-3 in Crossroads League play, while Goshen slipped to 7-9 overall and 0-6 in league action.

HU kept its grip on the series with an eighth straight win over Goshen, a streak dating back to January 2022.

Goshen came out firing and had stretches where the basket seemed to swallow everything. Back-to-back three-pointers by Saiveon Williams midway through the first half gave the Maple Leafs a 16–14 edge and set the tone for a tightly contested opening 20 minutes. Five minutes later, the visitors were still clinging to a lead.

Looking for a spark, Coach Jauch turned to his bench — and it delivered immediately. Luke LaGrange buried a three just 15 seconds after checking in, and Wyatt Zepp followed with back-to-back triples on the next two possessions. The quick burst erased a four-point deficit and swung momentum, giving Huntington a 32–31 lead with 2:45 remaining in the half. The Foresters never trailed again, carrying a 39–31 advantage into the locker room.

Goshen continued to hang around after the break, but Huntington gradually created separation. Keylane Lasisi’s putback at the 12:49 mark of the second half gave HU its first double-digit lead at 52–41. Still, the Maple Leafs refused to go away until the Foresters clamped down late, closing the game on a decisive 15–6 run over the final five minutes to turn a grind into a lopsided final.

Lasisi headlined Huntington’s balanced effort with a career-best 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting while pulling down nine rebounds, including four on the offensive glass. Kaden Johnson and Miles Good each added 15 points, with Good knocking down all six of his free throws. Jackson Paul stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, eight assists and five rebounds, while Zepp provided a much-needed spark off the bench with eight points in just five minutes of action.

As a team, Huntington shot 46.2 percent from the floor, won the rebounding battle 42–36, and turned 11 offensive rebounds into key second-chance opportunities. The Foresters shared the ball well as evidenced by dishing out 15 assists on 30 made field goals.

For Goshen, Marcus Northern led the way with 17 points, while Kamren Williams chipped in 12 points. Saiveon Williams added nine points, including a pair of first-half threes that fueled Goshen’s early surge.

Huntington returns to Platt Arena on Saturday to host #RV Taylor with tip-off set for 3:00 p.m.