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Boys basketball: Hillsborough 47, Armwood 45

 
Published Feb. 6, 2016

SEFFNER — It was the biggest game of its season to date, but from the first whistle, Armwood seemed to be falling apart.

The Hawks, which beat Hillsborough the last time they played, couldn't seem to hold onto the ball in the first half of the Class 6A, District 8 championship game. And even when they did, the shots just weren't falling. Moments into the second quarter, the Terriers, in the hunt for their first district title since 2009, went up by 17 points.

Still, with the way his team had been known to play this season, Hillsborough coach Chris Ward didn't allow himself to get too excited yet.

"Once we get up, we try to keep people down. The biggest thing for us is letting people back in the game and not being in control at all times," he said, "and then playing like we're behind."

In the second half the Terriers followed that same pattern, allowing Armwood to come within three by the time the fourth quarter began. But when it mattered most, Hillsborough stepped up to reverse its habit, beating Armwood 47-45.

Junior guard Junior Charley, who led Hillsborough with 13 points, was instrumental in getting the Terriers their big lead. As Armwood continued to turn it over in the first quarter — the Hawks lost three straight possessions two different times in the first eight minutes — Charley took advantage, scoring eight points, including two 3-pointers.

Slowly but surely, though, Armwood began fighting back as halftime neared.

With the help of a 3-pointer from Shaquille McElveen and Jonah Johnson, Armwood outscored Hillsborough 13-8 in the second quarter, narrowing the Terriers' lead.

"In the locker room we told each other, 'Don't ruin it,' " Charley said.

But after halftime, Armwood (17-9) continued to press.

And at the third-quarter buzzer, the Hawks trailed by just three points. The home crowd went wild and got on their feet.

"I'm not going to lie, for a second I was pretty nervous," Charley said. "I think we got too excited. We started to slack off a little. We underestimated them for a while."

Armwood needed its best minutes yet to get over the hump in the fourth quarter, but instead the Hawks reverted back to the way they started the game, missing crucial shots and turning the ball over on travels. Hillsborough (14-10) wasn't perfect on its free throws down the stretch — the Terriers sank just 2 of 5 — but it was enough to escape.

After the game, the Terriers celebrated, clutching a trophy that hadn't seen the halls of Hillsborough in seven years. In fact, before Ward took over the program in 2014, the Terriers had four straight losing seasons.

"We've been working on it and working on it and getting a little bit better, but we still have a long ways to go," Ward said of teaching his team how to win. "This is our second year doing this. Usually by Year 3 you work out all the kinks."

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But as Hillsborough's newest hardware proves, Ward is a little ahead of schedule.