BY TRISTAN SASSE
On Monday, December 18, the Fort Hays State University men’s basketball team improved to 9-3 on the season after an impressive outing against the Newman Jets. The Tigers led for the majority of the game before going on to win 90-63. The win also marked FHSU’s third straight victory before the holiday break.
Game Recap
At the 16:47 mark of the first half, the Tigers took an 11-2 advantage. FHSU made their first seven shots from the field, while the Jets began 1-for-7. The lead grew to as many as 13 for Fort Hays in the early going. Midway through the first half, Newman went on a 12-0 run but still trailed FHSU 20-19.
With 7:49 left in the opening half, the Jets took their first lead of the game, 24-22. The Tigers answered with a 7-0 run in the following two minutes. With under six minutes left in the half, Fort Hays led by five. FHSU ended the half on a 21-6 run and went into the locker room with a 43-30 lead.
The Tigers shot 56% in the first half while holding the Jets to 34.6%. FHSU was out-rebounded 17-15 in the half, but forced eight turnovers and had nine assists. Hadley Gillum led the Tigers with 10 points and four rebounds, while three others contributed with six points each. For Newman, Andre Sands had 10 points, while Ben Ayre added eight points.
Early in the second half, a pair of threes helped extend the Tiger lead to 22. With 15 minutes left in the game, Fort Hays held a steady 58-36 lead. Soon after, the margin grew to 27. Halfway through the half, FHSU had a commanding advantage, at 72-46. In the final minutes, the Tigers would go on to lead by as many as 32 before coming away with a 90-63 victory.
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By the Numbers
On the night, FHSU shot 57.4% from the field, while holding Newman to 40.4%. The Tigers also out-rebounded the Jets, 29-28. Additionally, Fort Hays finished with 21 assists, while forcing 17 turnovers.
For the Tigers, Gillum led all players with 25 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Grant Holmes added 12 points off the bench, while Brady Werth and Trey O’Neil added nine points each. Kyler Kinnamon added six assists and Marcus Cooper contributed with four steals.
For the Jets, Sands finished with 18 points and three rebounds. Tim Troussel added eight points and three rebounds.
Looking Ahead
FHSU (9-3) will finish the 3-game homestand against the McPherson Bulldogs (3-13) on Saturday, December 30. Meanwhile, Newman (5-6) will return home to take on the Rockhurst Hawks (7-4), also on December 30.