“If you would have told me before the game that’d we’d win by four points, I’d take that,” Urbana head coach Jeremy Dixon said. “But we just totally broke down defensively. We went from playing the best half that we’ve played all year to easily the worst.”
Urbana led 15-5 after one quarter and 31-12 at halftime. With 15 first-half points, Urbana senior Anthony Marino outscored the Arrows by himself.
Everything the Hillclimbers (3-0) did was right in the first half: They forced nine turnovers and shot 50 percent (11-for-22) from the field. Tecumseh had no open looks, and the Hillclimbers simply had more hustle.
Urbana’s lead was 45-28 after three quarters before the Arrows kicked up the intensity. Tecumseh forced eight turnovers in the fourth quarter and a 9-0 run turned a comfortable 53-39 Urbana lead into a five-point game with two minutes to go.
But the Hillclimbers, who started three seniors and two juniors, used that experience to stay patient and worked a minute off the clock. Zach Stillings scored on a layup with 57 seconds left, and Urbana’s lead was 55-48. Tecumseh didn’t hit enough shots in the final minute to make the game closer.
“We didn’t make very many plays in the second half, but we made enough to win, which is good,” Dixon said.
Tecumseh (0-4) has lost its past three games by a combined eight points.
“Our kids finally decided to play with some intensity and effort,” Tecumseh head coach Roger Culbertson said. “Unfortunately we decided to do that after three quarters.”
Marino scored a game-high 21 points, with two 3-pointers and seven free throws. Stillings scored 14 and Brad Massie 12. All five starters scored, but the Hillclimbers had no bench points.
Mike McKee led the Arrows with 14 points, all in the second half. Chase Culbertson scored 10, also all in the second half. Ten different Tecumseh players scored.
About the Author