MEN’S BASKETBALL

Taking a break from league action, the Forester men’s basketball team made quick work of Grace Christian University (7-8) Tuesday night at Platt Arena by handing the Tigers a 107-64 loss. With this win, HU improves to 14-7 on the year.

Huntington dropped in a season-high 20 threes with eight different Foresters canning at least one. Alford’s crew finished 20-for-42 from deep for 47.6 percent while connecting on 54.3 percent of their overall field goals. HU has shot at least 50.0 percent from the floor in 13 of their 21 games.

It took the hosts the opening eight minutes to build their first double-digit lead of 20-10. The Tigers fought back to cut it to four shortly after, but once Peyton West drilled a triple at the 7:23 mark, HU’s lead never dipped below single digits again. By halftime, the Foresters had surged ahead 53-29.

The final 20 minutes was more of the same with Huntington outscoring their guests by 19 to pad the lead to 43 by the final horn. Forty-three points is the Foresters’ largest margin of victory this season.

Mitchell Wilson, in his first collegiate start, led a balanced HU attack with 17 points to go along with five assists. Ben Humrichous and Hank Pulver each tossed in 16 points which included finishing with four long balls apiece. Spencer Ballinger posted 15 points and a career-best 12 rebounds for the second double double of his Huntington career.

West tallied ten points, four assists and two steals. Zach Goodline added eight points while handing out a game-best nine assists. All ten of the Foresters who took to the hardwood found their way into the scoring column. Tonight’s contest was the third time this year Alford’s crew went over the century mark but even more impressive was their unselfish play. Thirty-one of HU’s 38 buckets were assisted.

Jarius Shumpert paced Grace Christian with 15 points. Thomas Hill and Kellum Bridgeforth added 11 and nine points respectively.

The Foresters are back in Platt Arena on Saturday to host #RV Saint Francis at 1:00 p.m.