HILLMAN BEATS HAINES 47-38 TO CLAIN THE 2024-25 FABL SHOWTIME CROWN

February 15^th, 2025 at 5:27 PM when the final buzzer sounded, Freedom Area Basketball Senior Boys League crowned a new Champion as Hillman Held on to beat Haines 47-38 before a packed house at St Stephen’s Field House.  These two teams worked long and hard to earn this epic match up it what was their 19^th game of the 2024-25 season.

Because the game got off to a late start, the arena was bursting at the seams.  Every chair in the place was in use, some estimates say there were over 300 on hand for this classic battle.  The tension could be cut with a knife.

So as is often the case in a game like this, both teams started like they were shot out of a cannon. The problem was that one of the cannons was shooting blanks.  Hillman, led by Zachary Rose…by the way one of the worst 3-point shooters I have ever seen…who put up 11 of his team high 15 points on nifty inside moves and accurate free throw shooting to give the green team an 18-4 advantage after 9:00.  Yikes, this smelled like another Hillman blow out.

Coach Haines unleashed the McGhin brothers in the second who scored 9 points together to spark a comeback but Hillman withstood the charge and maintained a 13 point 26-13 lead at the intermission.  By the way, Nicholas McGhin scored a game high 16 points for the second place white team.

During the intermission, Coach Haines knew that his team needed to close the gap of this game would get out of hand. Adam Maney scored three early buckets and with 4:50 to go, the lead was only six points 26-20.  Hillman calls a time out and what happened over the next half quarter was easily the best defensive effort we have seen this season.

Haines offense is designed around dribble drive and movement away from the ball to get open for easy and makeable shoots.  Chase King, Colin Grimsley and Ryder Hecox combine for 9 blocked as Haines offense stalled and Hillman was able to maintain a 33-26 advantage heading into the final 9:00 minutes.

The fourth quarter turned into a shootout as the McGhin combined for 4 three pointers while forcing Haines to employ a risky pressure defense that lead to a bunch of open layups.  When the smoke cleared, Hillman won 47-38.

Besides Rose’s 15 points, Hillman was led by Colin Grimsley’s 12, Dom Califano’s 9, Ryder Hecox’s 5, Stephen Pucket’s, Chase King’s and Dylan Reisig’s 2 each and Standout defensive performances by Evan Lawson and Blake Kaufman.  Hillman finished 17-2 for the season and can claim the best record in the 2024-25 campaign.

Along with Nick Mcghin’s 16, Haines got 10 each from Alex Mcghin and Adam Maney and 2 points from Tanner Kane.  Haines finish the season with an impressive 13-6 record.