Highland Heights, KY – In what was suppose to be a rebuilding year, the Hilltoppers returned to the Elite Eight, after making it all the way to the Final 4 a year earlier.
West Liberty entered the game with a 32-2 record, scoring at least 100 points in 19 games this season.
The Toppers had a hard time building momentum from the opening tip-off, with Stonehill working their way up to a 25-16 lead only 9 minutes into the game.
West Liberty built some momentum late in the 1st half behind two big three pointers from Keene Cockburn, taking the lead 28-27 with 8:35 left in the half. It didn’t take Stonehill long to answer back as Andre Tongo gave the Hilltoppers a fit inside the paint, totaling up 14 1st half points.
Stonehill entered halftime with a narrow 45-41 lead over the Hilltoppers.
West Liberty quickly fell behind to open the 2nd half, with Stonehill taking their largest lead of the game 57-48. The Toppers would rebounded with their strongest effort of the game, going on a 17-1 run behind the sharp shooting of Shawn Dyer and Alex Falk.
Stonehill answered back by going on a 14-5 run to tie the game at 75 with 5:50 remaining. West Liberty would not regain the lead for the rest of the game. Down by as many as 5 (88-83), the Toppers made a late run in the final 10 seconds with a pair of 3 pointers by Alex Falk, but it was too little, too late as Stonehill edged West Liberty for a narrow 1 point victory.
Falk lead all scorers with 26 points. Stonehill was lead by Tongo’s 24 points and 6 steals.
Only graduating 2 Seniors, West Liberty returns their entire starting lineup in 2013.
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