Nelsonville, Ohio -- The Hocking College men’s basketball team (5-1) responded quickly after suffering its first loss two nights earlier at the hands of Cincinnati-Clermont, as they raced past the Malone JV Pioneers, 112-68, at home last Saturday, November 16.
Hocking had this game won by halftime as the short handed Pioneers couldn't hang with the Hawks. The Hawks scored 61 points in the first half to take a 25-point lead into the halftime break. In the second half, the Hawks pulled away to a 44-point blowout win.
For the Hawks, all 15 players who dressed played in the game and all but one of them scored. Hocking was led by freshman forward Shawn Paris Jr. who scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and went 6-of-9 from behind the arch.The six three-pointers are tied for second in school history. He added a team-high nine rebounds, an assist and a steal. Freshman guard Ryan Archey Jr added 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting and went 3-of-4 from three. He added two rebounds, five assists and five steals. Those five steals tie the school record held by five other players. Freshman forward D’Angelo Lake pitched in 15 points off of the bench. He added two rebounds, an assist and a block.
As a team, the Hawks scored 50 points off the bench as the Hawks’ starters nearly outscored the Pioneers total points. The hot-shooting Hawks connected on 42-of-75 (56%) from the field including 17-of-29 (58.6%) triples and converted 11-of-16 (68.8%) from the free throw line. The Hawks out-rebounded the Pioneers, 47 to 25, and created more assists, 25 to 16.
Malone was short-handed with eight players dressed. As a team, the Pioneers shot 26-of-60 (38.3) and went 7-of-24 (29%) from three, but outshot the Hawks at the free throw line by going 15-of-24 (62.5%).
Hocking leads the nation in points per game in NJCAA Divsion-lll, averaging 105.7 PPG. Hocking also leads the nation in made field goals per game, averaging 42.7 MFG. The Hawks are fourth in attempted shots, averaging 81 attempts per game. Hocking’s defense is ranked third in offensive rebounds, averaging 20.2 per game, and fourth in total rebounds, averaging 52 per game and sixth in steals, averaging 15 per game.
The Hawks will travel to battle Kent State University-Tuscarawas (2-2) on Tuesday Night, Nov. 19, at 7:30pm. The next home game is on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1pm in the Student Center in the conference opener vs Lakeland CC. The women’s game vs Lakeland will tip at 1pm with the men’s game to follow at approximately 3pm.
--
Trevor Stephens
Hocking College Athletics
