Strong Hillsdale Squad Downs Eagles
The Eagle men fell to the #2 seeded Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College Saints this past Friday. Faith fell by a final of 87-77. The loss drops the Eagles to 16-12 with one game remaining in the season.
Hillsdale came in to the tournament as the #2 seed, having spent much of the year in the NCCAA top 10, and having made it to their regional championship. Hillsdale found themselves in the consolation side of the bracket after being upset in the quarterfinals by host Ozark Christian.
Both team battled hard during the first half, trading the lead a couple times during the first 10 minutes of the game. Hillsdale was able to run the lead out to eight with four minutes left in the half, but a 10-5 run by the Eagles, including a tip in at the buzzer, cut the lead to three at the break. Hillsdale came out of the break hot, opening with a 12-4 run to take a double digit lead. Hillsdale would stretch the lead to 16 with eleven to play, but the Eagles refused to go away.
Sparked by freshman John Acree, who took the team on his back over the next seven minutes, the Eagles pulled back to within seven. Acree scored 12 of the Eagles 14 points during that span, as the Eagles put together a 14-5 run. Time and exhaustion caught up with the Eagles, though, as Hillsdale answered with a 6-0 run to put the lead back to double digits, erasing any hope of a comeback win. "John (Acree) was phenomenal tonight. We were out of it, and he single handedly got us back in the game. His energy was amazing," noted Coach Fincham.
Acree led the Eagles with 20 points. Aaron Leistikow added 19, along with six assists and three steals. Cody Chaffin finished with 13 points, while Erice Young led the team in rebounds with 11. The Eagles will face Baptist Bible College, MO, at 10:45 AM on Saturday for 7th place.
