Hilltopper boys’ basketball falls short in Luck
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
by Joel DeWitt
Sports Correspondent
LUCK — Fouls and free throws played a large part in the Hilltoppers boys’ basketball game against Luck on January 3. Glenwood City was whistled for 15 fouls on the night, whereas the home Cardinals committed seven.
The foul disparity allowed Luck to convert on ten more free throws, 15-for-20 compared to 5-for-10 for Glenwood City, as the Cardinals pulled away late for the 60-51 win. The loss drops the Hilltoppers one game below .500 on the season at 3-4.
Glenwood City again started the game strong. Brody Riba began the scoring with a 10-foot baseline jumper. Brady Thompson putback extend the Topper advantage to 4-0. After Luck cut the Glenwood lead in half, Brody Olson and Tyler Harrington drained three pointers to go up 10-2. Olson and Riba converted on short jumpers to complete the 14-4 start.
The Cardinals countered with a run of their own. Joe Tolen hit a corner three pointer to knot the score at 18 apiece with 5:50 left in the first half. Caleb Klinger’s three pointer, followed by Harrington’s jumper pushed Glenwood City back on top 23-18.
However, Luck outscored Glenwood 9-2 in the last five minutes of the half to take the 27-25 lead into intermission.
The Hilltoppers opened the second half by reclaiming the lead. A reverse layup by Ben Klatt on a rebound tied the score and a 3-point play from Thompson put the Toppers up 30-27.
However, the next seven minutes were not productive for the Hilltoppers. Luck went on a 13-2 run to open its largest lead of the game at 40-32 with 11:00 minutes left in the game. Regardless, the Hilltoppers were not finished.
Over the next two minutes, the Hilltoppers put together an 8-0 run to tie the score. Klatt opened the scoring with a short jumper, Olson followed up with a pair of free throws, and Riba completed the comeback hitting on back-to-back baskets to tie things up at 40-40 with 8:50 left in the game.
The Cardinals opened a seven-point advantage down the stretch, but a three pointer from Harrington cut the Luck led to 54-51 with under two minutes left in the game. However, that would be as close as the Hilltoppers got on the evening. Luck connected on six straight free throws in the final minute of the game to secure the 60-51 win.
Klatt paced his team with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting. Olson and Harrington were the only other Toppers in double figures with 11 and ten points, respectively. Olson came close to a triple-double with nine rebounds and eight assists in the game.
The Hilltoppers hosted Lake Holcombe on Monday January 6, in a non-conference game that was not concluded in time for this week’s edition. They travel to Boyceville (1-6, 1-1) this Friday, January 10 for a 7:15 p.m. tilt against the Bulldogs.