Hillcrest Runs the Floor in 91-49 Season Opener
The new-look Hillcrest boys sprinted through their first game. After leaping to a 12-0 lead, they ran into halftime with the scoreboard reading 54-23. The thrill of being on the court again was too much for the Comets to contain, unleashing a barrage of scoring opportunities and a plethora of thrilling scoring plays.
Hillcrest’s scoring was sparked by their defense in the first set of series on the court. Aiding their jump to a 12-0 lead was the fact that they generated seven consecutive scoreless trips down the court for St. John’s. Gabe Swedenberg was the first line of defense that St. John’s struggle to maintain, and Noah Brumfield was quick to defend the first pass to frustrate the Johnnies, turning steals to points for the Comets early.
Hillcrest looked incredibly fit throughout the first half, turning rebounds to fast break opportunities. Preston Berge was key in this strategy, leading the Comets with 6 assists. Gabe Swedenberg and Justin Petersen crashed the glass as well, turning their boards into three assists each.
Hillcrest ran the table in the first half. 18 of Noah Brumfield's game-high 33 points came in the first 18-minutes of play. Justin Petersen added 15 of his 17 total points in the first frame, as well. But the Comets didn’t simply dominate scoring opportunities and the fast break streaks. They controlled the glass, with Petersen leading all players grabbing 9 rebounds. Brumfield and Preston Berge finished with 7 rebounds and a tenacious Levi Christensen grabbed 6. Hillcrest owned the low-post game, out rebounding the Johnnies 38-24.
The Comets looked to the bench in the second half, giving younger players some valuable experience in the first game of the season. “I thought each of those guys came in and contributed some nice things,” head Coach Ryan Garvin noted. Erik Bjorndahl finished with 15 points. Preston and Sean Berge added 7 a piece. Levi Christensen and Ethan Swedberg each netted 4 points. The Comets played until the buzzer, earning a 91-49 win.
“We have some big things to work out with our perimeter defense,” Ryan Garvin commented after the game. “But I really liked our energy and our confidence to start this game…they are growing in their understanding of the game, each other, and their potential.”
The boys have a few days of practice next week before they play Brandon-Evansville on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7:15pm at the Hillcrest Student Activities Center.