MISHAWAKA, Ind. — On the Pilots’ first home game since Nov. 11, the second win of the Crossroads League season was a 101-96 nail-biter in the Gates Gymnasium on Wednesday night.
In the opening minutes, Nathan Aerts drained a three at 15:00 to give the Pilots a seven-point lead, but Huntington struck back with a layup by Drew Goodline. Lane Sparks was fouled at the arc and made all three free throws and a layup in three straight possessions to tie the game at 13-13 at 13:32.
Huntington kept the lead and grew it to nine at 8:18, but Trent Edwards knocked it back down to 31-29 at 5:53. Drew Lutz completed the three-point play after being fouled after an offensive rebound at 2:36, tying the game 37-37.
Jameir Jefferson, with seconds left until halftime, drained a deep ball to put the Pilots up by two points, 48-46 going into the break.
The Pilots soared to an eight-point lead right out of the half, with Aerts going to the charity stripe and sinking both and James Anderson splitting his pair of free throws 56-48 at 17:36.
By 13:49, Lutz inflated the lead to eight points with a long-range splash at 13:49. After a couple of traded blows, Lutz found his way to the line and sank both free throws at 11:02 to peak their lead to nine points, 72-63.
The Foresters climbed back and took the lead back at 3:06 left in regulation with a Goodline three-point play 90-88, and crunch time began in the Gates Gymnasium.
Lutz tied the game at 90-90 with 2:52 to go with a pair of free throws and Huntington’s Goodline did the same at 2:07, 92-92.
Trent Edwards made a statement dunk at 1:30, and Aerts tipped in Lutz’s missed deep ball to grow a five-point lead at 97-92. Edwards tipped in Luke McBride’s three-pointer, and Preston Phillips buried the dagger with a made pair at the charity stripe to secure the 101-96 victory.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Drew Lutz scored 20+ points in six of eight games this season.
- James Anderson scored a season-high 22 points and seven rebounds.
- Preston Phillips had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
- Bethel dominated off the glass with 37 rebounds to Huntington’s 29.
NEXT TIME OUT
Next up for the Pilots is the NAIA ninth-ranked Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats on Saturday, Dec. 2, tipping off at 3 p.m. in Luckey Arena in Marion, Ind.