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Second half bombing pushes TIU past Foresters in HOF championship game

Strong second-half shooting helped Trinity International University hand the Huntington University men’s basketball team a 90-77 loss in the championship game of the Ness Bros. Hall of Fame Tournament at Platt Arena on Saturday, Nov. 11.

After a three-pointer by the Foresters’ Tyler Arens put the Trojans in a 46-36 hole at the start of the second half, the visitors went on a scoring spree that was emblematic of their offensive output in the second stanza. In under two minutes, TIU got three treys, all courtesy of Tyrone Carey, plus a bucket from Rick Wright to seize the lead at 47-46. While Huntington managed to slip back in front, TIU went up for good when it went on a 10-2 run that gave it a 67-59 advantage with 8:40 to play. Once again, Carey had the hot hand for the Trojans, tallying sevenof the team’s points during the stretch.

In all, TIU converted 19 of 33 field goal attempts for a sizzling 57.6 percent in the second half. The Trojans added eight points in 12 attempts at the free-throw line for 66.7 percent.

Carey led the way for TIU, 2-3, scoring a game-high 31 points on 13 of 15 marksmanship, which included a 5 of 6 showing from beyond the arc.

The game started out promising for the Foresters, 2-3, as they built a 10-point lead at 15-5, just over three and a half minutes into the contest. Coach Ty Platt’s squad stayed in front for the balance of the half, taking a seven-point lead into the break, 43-36, that it would nudge to 10 points in the second before the Trojans heated up.

Huntington got double-digit point totals from four players. Senior Mike Bush scored 14 points for the Foresters while sophomore Konner Platt totaled 13 and sophomore Andrew Yoder and Arens both chipped in 12.

Arens notched a double-double, collecting 10 rebounds.

Huntington and TIU finished even on the boards, with 36 caroms apiece.

The Foresters went 30 of 64 from the field for 46.9 percent and 7 of 12 at the charity stripe for 58.3 percent.

For the contest, the Trojans connected on 33 of 65 field goal tries for 50.8 percent and 11 of 16 freebie attempts for 68.8 percent.