WHS BOYS' BASKETBALL: Trojans push winning streak to five

WORTHINGTON — The two hottest teams in the Southwest Conference met Tuesday night in boys’ basketball action, as Worthington and Jackson County Central each brought four-game winning streaks to the basketball court.

The Trojans looked like the only team on a win streak, routing Jackson County Central 72-57.

“We did enough good things throughout the ballgame to extend our lead and get it to a comfortable point,” WHS coach Ron Vorwald said. “Jackson played extremely hard.

“Our guys at times looked like they had cement in their shoes, but we did enough good things. Lucas (Henning) shot the ball well and we got the ball inside to Mitch (Weg).”

Mitch Weg had 27 points and 17 rebounds, Lucas Henning had 23 points, Morgan Traylor had eight points and four rebounds and Marcus Potter had five points and five assists to lead the Trojans (15-5, 7-3).

JCC (7-15, 2-9) was led by Jon Harmening (17 points) and Darnell Taylor-Breck (12 points).

Worthington jumped out to a 14-7 lead after a 3-point play by Weg, who scored 11 of the Trojans’ first 14 points to start off the game. JCC answered with a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to two.

After a Jon Harmening drive to the basket made it 22-21 Worthington, the Trojans went on a 15-5 run behind two of Henning’s five 3-pointers in the game, four points from Jon Reller, a triple from Spencer Grafing and a layup from Weg.

JCC would cut the deficit to six (40-34), but the Trojans hit four free throws before the half to make it a 10-point cushion at the break.

“You always want to start building momentum going into the tournament,” Weg said. “Everyone wants to start getting hot and playing their best basketball now, so you can’t be losing games at this point in the year.”

It took nearly five minutes for the Trojans to get a field goal to start off the second half, but JCC could not capitalize, only inching within seven of the Trojans at 44-37.

The Trojans would answer with a 16-7 run behind four points from Traylor, five points from Henning, a putback from Weg, three points from Potter and a basket from Grafing.

A 3-pointer from Taylor-Breck made it a nine-point game (60-51) with 5:33 remaining, but Henning and Weg slammed the door shut. Weg drove twice and scored, Henning hit two jumpers, Weg had a putback and hit two free throws and the Trojans closed the game on a 12-4 run.

“We’ve been playing pretty good lately,” Henning said. “We just keep trying to get better every day.

“It’s coming down to the end of the year and we want to go deep into our section. We’re all clicking. We need to keep playing hard the whole game and keep pressure on them.”

JCC had twice as many turnovers as Worthington, as the Trojans forced 24, while giving up the ball just 12 times.

“It’s all about defense,” Weg said. “It’s all about rotation, hard work and practicing where to be.”

Worthington will host rival Marshall Thursday. The Trojans are a game back of the Tigers for the second-place spot in the Southwest Conference and know they have their work cut out for them.

“We’re certainly going to have to play better Thursday night than we did tonight and our guys know that,” Vorwald said. “Tomorrow we need to get back to work for Marshall on Thursday.

“We’ll be ready.”

JCC will play at Redwood Valley — who sits atop the Southwest Conference — Friday.

JCC 34 23 — 57

WHS 44 28 — 72

Jackson County Central (3FG-2FG-FT-TP) Copley 0-3-1-7 Harmening 0-8-1-17, Hohenstein 0-2-2-6, Taylor-Breck 3-1-0-12, Hinkeldey 0-2-2-6, Christopher 0-3-0-6, Wacker 0-2-0-4. Total 3-21-6-57.

Worthington (3FG-2FG-FT-TP) Weg 0-11-5-27, Henning 5-3-2-23, Traylor 0-3-2-8, Grafing 1-1-0-5, Reller 0-1-2-4, Potter 0-1-3-5. Total 6-20-14-72.

Daily Globe Sports Editor Chris Murphy can be reached at 376-7328.

Tags: jackson county central, sports, prep, basketball, trojans