Topper Boys’ Basketball Defeats Moriarty 43-40

By MORRIE PONGRATZ
Voice of the Hilltoppers

That must have been some halftime speech! Thursday night the Topper boys’ basketball team played the Moriarty Fighting Pintos at Griffith Gymnasium. Moriarty has a strong team having defeated the Toppers by 55-44 Dec. 1.

However Coach Mike Kluk’s young charges (he starts four sophomores and one junior) are improving fast. Going into halftime the Toppers were down 16 to 20. Sophomore point guard, Antonio Trujillo had only 2 points in the first half and led the Toppers in a resurgent 3rd quarter. Trujillo ended as leading scorer with 11 points.

Trujillo was joined by 6’3” sophomore, Troy Hammock, who had 8 points and led the Toppers with 9 rebounds and 4 steals. Hammock filled a gap created when the usual scoring leader, Sophomore Jack Stewart, and rebound leader, 6’5” Junior Adam Paulson, were hampered by foul trouble.

The Toppers scored 20 points in the 3rd quarter to lead 36-26 going into the 4th quarter.

Moriarty came back strong in the 4th quarter outscoring the Toppers 14 to 7. Clutch free throws by Trujillo and Hammock saved the day for the Toppers. The Pintos were led by 6’7” center, Jake Flaming, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds.

The Toppers play host to the Artesia Bulldogs on Friday and the Miyamura Patriots in a Saturday afternoon contest.

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