Sophomore Connor Stonebraker pushes through for the layup: Courtesy | Ashley Van Hoose

The Hillsdale men’s basketball team won at home 84–71 against Cedarville University Jan. 15 but fell on the road 56–60 against Tiffin University Jan. 17, making their conference record 4–5 and overall record 7–10. 

The Chargers gained the lead early against Cedarville and fought a close battle, leading 41–34 at the half. They maintained their lead throughout the entirety of the second half, finishing with a 13-point lead.

“We did a really nice job of guarding a very skilled Cedarville team who really challenges you coming off ball screens and spacing the floor,” head coach Keven Bradley said. “They were averaging more than nine made 3-pointers per game, and I thought our guys did a really wonderful job defending that 3-point line. We only gave up five, so holding the team to under their average was a big goal and the key for us defensively.”

Sophomore forward Connor Stonebraker played one of his best games, shooting 7 for 12 from the floor and 8 for 8 from the line, finishing with a career high of 23 points and seven rebounds. Junior forward Caleb Glaser contributed 17 points and five rebounds, assisting Hillsdale in pulling away to take the win.

Senior guard and captain Ashton Janowski said getting off to a good start is really important to the Chargers’ success as a team.

“When we play from behind, that’s when we struggle,” Janowski said. “So setting the tone offensively and defensively right from the tip-off is crucial for us.”

Against Tiffin, the Chargers were down early and struggled to come back from a 14-point deficit at the half. They managed to piece together a run during the second half, which tied the game at 52 with just under three minutes remaining. Janowski knocked down two 3-pointers to lead off the run, and the Chargers had great success at the free throw line, going 10 of 13 on foul shots during that stretch. Senior guard and captain Cole McWhinnie hit a long 3-pointer that tied the game. Despite their run, the Chargers were not able to pull off the win.

Junior guard Jacob Meyer said the team could improve on translating what they practice into game play.

“It’s important to be really focused and think during practice how you will actually execute the drills in a game and during the game, to keep the details in mind,” Meyer said.

Although the Chargers lost to Tiffin, freshman Braylon Morris had an opportunity to come off the bench, and he contributed six points and two steals against Tiffin, demonstrating some of the young talent on the team. 

“I think we’ve grown a lot from the beginning of the season,” Meyer said. “Our younger guys are starting to become a little more consistent and giving more and more on the floor within their roles. This year, we’ve been slower on the court than I’ve seen in the past, and I think that comes from having a young team. Our inexperience shows on our record, but we’ve made big strides as a team, and I think we still have time to pull the season together.”

The Chargers will take on Findlay University on the road Jan. 22 and Ashland University at home Jan. 24.