Hohler dominates as Tigers beat Bears

HURON — Once Dylan Hohler started going downhill, things began looking up for Huron. Hohler, a strong, athletic 6-foot-4 senior, took the game into his hands in the second half and finished with 30 points and eight rebounds to lead the Tigers to a 62-39 win over Margaretta on Friday night. The final score looked lopsided, but the SBC Bay Division elimination game was a two-point tug-of-war at halftime. Huron began the second half with an 8-0 run that included a steal and dunk by Hohler, and the rout was on. "The kids just had to settle down. It was a big game," Huron coach Bobby James said. "We never start a game with three straight turnovers." Huron did start the game with three giveaways, but finished the night with just seven. Margaretta, meanwhile, had more turnovers (five) than field goals (four) in the pivotal third quarter. "Dylan Hohler's a man and they played very well," Margaretta coach Steve Keller said. "They went out and won it. "We have to be better to beat a team like that." The victory means Huron remains in contention in the Bay Division. The Tigers won their fifth straight game to improve to 9-4 overall and 5-2 in the Bay — one game behind first-place Willard. Huron has three Bay games remaining, including a trip to Willard in the regular-season finale on Feb. 17. The young Polar Bears (10-6, 4-3) will regroup, starting with a game Saturday at Clyde. Tait Bailey's 3-pointer with 3 seconds left in the second quarter pulled Margaretta to within 25-23 at the break. The Bears' last lead of the game came when bouncy freshman Julian Washington spun to his left, scored and converted a three-point play to give the visitors a 15-14 edge early in the second quarter. Hohler and Luke Rager scored Huron's last nine points of the half. Rager's hustle rebound off a missed 3-pointer and layin gave Huron a 25-20 lead. A Washington third-quarter bucket cut Huron's lead to 34-27 before the Tigers went on their second 8-0 run in five minutes. Hohler, who can score from the rim and beyond the 3-point line, bulled his way to the hoop on an inbounds play to make it 42-27. Hohler also was lethal from the free-throw line, sinking 12 of 13 attempts. "When you've got a special player like that ... he's healthy and plays the right way," James said. "He trusts his teammates. That was a quiet 30." A Washington basket cut Huron's lead to 50-39 with 5:21 to play, but the next sequence clinched the win for Huron and entertained a near-capacity crowd. Rager found a seam and drove to the rim for a basket. At the same time, Hohler crashed the glass and looked like he might possibly have a dunk off an offensive rebound. He jumped over Margaretta's Hayden Wiley, who was called for a foul. Hohler flipped over and nearly landed on his head. He sat up, and after a few seconds got up. "I thought he was gonna tip-dunk it," James said. Hohler made two free throws to make it 54-39. "I was going up for putback," Hohler said. "I just realized I was too high and went over him. I didn't know what was happening. I was more scared than anything (about the landing)." Huron finished the win with a 12-0 run. Rager finished with 12 points and seven rebounds and Jake Lagando added nine points and five boards. Judah Keller, like Washington a freshman starter, led the Bears with 15 points, 10 in the first quarter. Washington had 12 points. "They put Rager on Judah and Hohler on Julian in the second half," Keller said. "They have some length and we turned it over." Margaretta shot 15 for 40 from the field. Huron was 19 for 45. "We got more stops and played team offense," Hohler said. "It was a big win." MARGARETTA Tate Bailey 1 0-0 3, Julian Washington 5 2-2 12, Judah Keller 6 0-0 15, Gage Bodey 1 2-2 4, Evan Miller 0 0-0 0, Hayden Wiley 2 0-0 5, Aldon Gibson 0 0-2 0. TOTALS 15 4-6 39 HURON Luke Rager 4 3-4 12, Jake Lagando 3 1-2 9, Adam Murray 3 0-0 7, Dylan Hohler 9 12-13 30, Jackson McNulty 0 2-4 2, Keaton Lee 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 19 18-23 62 Margaretta 12 11 9 7 — 39Huron 10 15 19 18 — 62 Three-point goals: Margaretta 5 (Keller 3, Bailey 1, Wiley 1); Huron 4 (Lagando 2, Rager 1, Murray 1)