By KYLE MANTHE
Special to TopSports.news
Looking at a game’s final score can be deceiving.
Clas 5A No. 1 Highland Park beating Sumner Academy 76-61 looks like business as usual for the Runnin’ Scots, but Highland Park coach Michael Williams will be the first to say that wasn’t the case, and that he’s happier it was so.
Senior Tre Richardson led Highland Park with 22 points in the Scots' 76-61 win over KC-Sumner. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Sophomore Jacorey Robinson goes up for a dunk in Friday's 76-61 Highland Park win over KC-Sumner. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
“(It was) for our own good … to have a test of character and see a couple of quarters where we are down,” Williams said. “To look them in the eye and get them thinking, doubting and worrying a little bit but also figuring out some character in some guys, too.”
Friday night was not the last home game of the season for Highland Park but it was Senior Night for the Scots’ senior class, which meant extra recognition for a group that has them at 17-0 heading into the final week of the regular season.
“They are program changers. We have been trending up and moving in the right direction over the last four to five years and this group of seniors took us to the next level, we leveled up this year,” Williams said. “They don’t only level up a team, they level up a school and a community and you get people behind us.”
The Scots will begin a busy final week at home against Harmon next Tuesday as coach Williams expects his roster to be back at full strength in time for sub-state.
“The beautiful part of the team is that we suit up 12 guys for a reason,” Williams said. “Other guys are able to step in and the show is able to go on and it has been good for growth and development of individual and group pieces overall.”
While the night belonged to Highland Park the first eight minutes belonged to the Sabres, specifically junior Howard Peoples who had 14 of Sumner Academy’s 20 first-quarter points. The burst of shotmaking gave the visitors a five-point advantage after eight minutes.
The Scots got down by as many as eight in the second quarter but battled back in the middle to take a lead. The Sabres did not flinch, ending the half on a 9-4 run to go into the break leading 34-30.
The script flipped in the second half for Highland Park as they were able to limit the offense of Sumner and get out and score themselves. Back-to-back layups by senior Tre Richardson put the Scots ahead for the final time midway through the third quarter.
“The thing about my time over at Highland Park is we never lack resiliency,” Williams said. “And I think you got a glimpse of that tonight. We went to a big-time defensive adjustment in the second half with the box-and-one … and it was able to chop up the game a little bit.”
Junior Tamir Anderson knocked down two 3-pointers in the quarter that saw Highland Park turn a four-point deficit into an 11-point lead by the end, outsourcing the Sabres 24-9.
In the fourth quarter, the Scots kept their foot on the gas, led by Richardson and sophomore Jacorey Robinson. The pair combined to score 36 in the game with 28 coming in the second half.
After trailing early in the third quarter Highland Park led by as many as 17 in the fourth quarter before winning 76-61.
Tre Richardson scored 22 points to lead the Scots, with 18 coming after halftime. Jacorey Robinson had 14, senior Jahmir Kingcannon added 12, and Tamir Anderson had nine on 3-4 shooting.
Howard Peoples paced Sumner Academy with 22 while senior Jammial Hicks Jr. scored 19.
HIGHLAND PARK BOYS 76, KC SUMNER 61
KC Sumner 20 14 9 18 -- 61
Highland Park 15 15 24 22 -- 76
KC Sumner (10-9, 7-5) – Johnson 2-5 0-0 5, Hicks 7-14 4-5 19, Rowe 4-16 0-0 10, Peoples 7-16 7-11 22, Wing 2-6 0-0 5, Gordon 0-1 0-2 0, Tyler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-58 11-16 61.
Highland Park (17-0, 9-0) – Richardson 10-21 2-3 22, Kingcannon 4-8 3-3 12, Adams 2-6 0-0 4, Drew-Gregory 2-3 1-2 5, Williams Jr. 1-7 0-0 2, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Wilson 3-5 2-2 8, McMillon 0-0 0-0 0, Robinson 7-9 0-0 14, Anderson 3-4 0-0 9, Davis 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 32-65 8-10 76.
3-point goals – Highland Park 4 (Anderson 3, Kingcannon 1), Sumner 6 (Rowe 2, Hicks 1, Johnson 1, Peoples 1, Wing 1). Total fouls – Highland Park 13, Sumner 12. Fouled out – Sumner (Johnson). Technical fouls – None.
