Trojans open with third-place finish at Abilene
Hillsboro boys drop opener to Cowboys, outlast Rock Creek, Rossville in OT for third
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
It's not too often the Trojans fall short in their season opener.
You'd have to go way back to the '90s the last time Hillsboro dropped its opening game.
But that can be expected when you've got a hot-shot opponent like the Trojans did Dec. 6 in the season-opener against the Abilene Cowboys in the Dickinson County Tournament.
Or when you struggle taking care of the basketball.
Both came up big in getting Hillsboro's season off on the wrong foot with the Cowboys hitting a blistering 54 percent from the field and forcing 25 Trojan turnovers, walking away with a 68-59 win.
With the game knotted up at 27 at halftime, the Cowboys' second half proved to be the difference with Abilene outdoing the Trojans, 41-32.
Kyle Kroeker scored a game-high 20 points, including a pair of threes, to pace the Trojans while Nate Holmes added 12. Lucas Hamm chipped in nine points, forcing a team-high four steals.
Despite Hillsboro eventually grabbing a third-place finish at the tournament, posting a 2-1 record, it exploited two aspects of the game the Trojans have to get shored up right away for a good year.
Opponents shot better than 50 percent against Hillsboro, who averaged 17 turnovers per game in three outings and shot 42 percent.
Three nights later, the Trojans needed an extra session to down the Rock Creek Mustangs, 52-51, with Kroeker scoring a game-career-high 26 points with six swipes.
Hillsboro surrendered 51 percent shooting to the Mustangs, who also outrebounded the Trojans, 29-25.
Hamm grabbed a team-high five to go along with his eight points.
It took another bonus round Saturday in the third-place game, but the Trojans were able to outlast the Rossville Bulldogs, 56-53, with the Bulldogs burning Hillsboro for 52 percent from the field.
Hamm scored a game-career-high 22 points before fouling out on 7-of-10 overall and 7-for-9 at the free throw line.
Kroeker finished with 13 points and Troy Frick added eight.
The Trojans continue facing a potent road schedule to end the year beginning Tuesday night with a showdown in Wichita against upstart Collegiate.
Hillsboro then travels Friday to Ellinwood for an 8 p.m. tipoff.
