Chance Vertin runs away with the ball Thursday, January 9th at the end of the game. Photo courtesy of Paul Julian
On Thursday, the Hastings Tigers traveled to take on the AC Patriots in a heated cross-town rivalry matchup. A year ago, the Tigers were heartbroken in an overtime loss to the Patriots after leading by 15 in the second half. This time, both teams came in looking to make a statement.
Boys’ Game:
The boys’ game was just as intense. From the tip, both teams were fired up, and early on, AC’s star forward, Hunter Nepple, made his mark with a strong and-one over Tiger leader Chance Vertin. Vertin would pick up his second foul moments later, and tensions boiled over when Nepple clapped in Vertin’s face, drawing a technical foul. That set the tone for the rest of the game.
Despite the early adversity, the Tigers came out swinging. By the end of the first quarter, Hastings led 18-13. But AC, never one to back down, went on a strong run in the second quarter, limiting the Tigers to just five points and taking a four-point lead into halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Patriots carried momentum and extended their lead in the third. But the Tigers weren’t rattled. With six seniors leading the charge, they showed the young Patriots how to handle a rivalry game. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers’ defense was smothering, holding AC to just six points. Nepple, who had been dominating the game, scored just one point in the final frame.
With 2:05 remaining, Hunter Nepple hit a free throw to put the Tigers up 49-48, and that would be the last point the Patriots scored. AC had a chance to win it in the final seconds, but Trey Slechta’s layup attempt missed, and the Tigers hung on for a hard-fought 49-48 victory. Parker Ablott led the Tigers with 16 points, and Eli Schneider added 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds. With the win, the Tigers took back the city and improved to 6-5, heading into their Tuesday game at Aurora.
Girls’ Game:
The night started with the girls’ contest, and the Tigers gave the Patriots all they could handle. A year ago, AC dominated, but this time, it was a much different story. The Tigers stayed close in the first quarter, with the score tied at 7-7. In the second, AC stretched the lead a bit, but Hastings answered with big three-pointers from Ochsner and Tinsman, heading into halftime down just 19-18 with momentum on their side.
The third quarter played out similarly, with both teams struggling to find offense but playing solid defense. The Tigers, despite only having two wins on the season, showed they could compete with the Patriots. They outscored AC 15-12 in the third, taking a two-point lead into the fourth.
However, the Patriots turned up the intensity in the final frame. AC’s defense clamped down, holding the Tigers to just nine points in the fourth. Meanwhile, the Patriots’ offense erupted, scoring 19 in the final period to take home an eight-point win, 48-40. Freshman Ella Tinsman led the Tigers with 16 points, while senior MaKenzie Nollette added ten. For the Patriots, Annie Trausch led with 17 points, and former Hastings High transfer Kendall Consbruck added 15. With the loss, the Tigers fell to 3-8 on the season, looking to bounce back against Aurora on Tuesday.
Summary:
In an emotional rivalry night, the Tigers showed resilience and poise in both games. The girls battled hard but couldn’t seal the deal, while the boys showed their experience and defensive prowess to edge out the Patriots in a thrilling finish. With momentum on their side, both teams will be looking to continue their strong play as they head into their next games. The Tigers may have lost the battle on the girls’ side, but the boys reclaimed the city—and they’ll carry that pride into their next matchup.
