Teams practice to try to achieve perfection. Although perfection in an imperfect game like basketball is basically impossible, there were times Thursday night when the Hillsdale College men's basketball team came awfully close to that elusive goal.
Playing as fine a two-way game as the team's played all season, the Chargers picked apart Northwood University to the tune of an 88-66 blowout win at Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena.
Hillsdale, still undefeated outside the state of Ohio, is now 10-3 overall and 6-3 in the GLIAC.
The Chargers' foundation on offense is constant motion with crisp screen setting and ball movement, and those aspects of the game were all in ideal form. Hillsdale had 26 assists on 32 made field goals, turned the ball over just five times, and shot better than 50 percent from the field and nearly 50 percent from 3-point territory.
The two teams played a tight first half, which ended with a 37-36 Chargers lead. But Hillsdale came out firing in the second half. An 18-6 run in the first seven-plus minutes of the half shot the Chargers into their biggest lead off a layup by senior center Jason Pretzer.
But what can't be seen in the box score was the quality of Hillsdale's defense during that run. While the team found its ideal offensive rhythm, the Chargers' half-court defense was superb. They guarded the 3-point line effectively, eliminating Northwood's easiest path to halting Hillsdale's momentum. Hillsdale played excellent help-and-recover defense, not allowing the Timberwolves any in-rhythm shots.
Northwood didn't make a single field goal in the second half until a 3-pointer by Jermaine Myers with 12:34 left in the half went through the basket. But freshman guard Nate Neveau answered with a three of his own on the next possession, and the Charger momentum was well-preserved. Hillsdale outscored Northwood 51-30 in the second half.
Senior center Jason Pretzer was as in-rhythm as any player on the floor. He was brilliant, with 17 points, 6 rebounds and a career-high 8 assists, shooting 6-for-8 from the floor and 4-for-5 from 3-point land. He expertly worked the high post, usually finding either Stedman Lowry for an open 3, or helping to create layups for Kyle Cooper.
Cooper was his normal self, with a sublime 26-point, 13-rebound performance. He was the beneficiary of Hillsdale's patient offense, as he only needed one 3-pointer to achieve his game-high in scoring.
Lowry drained five 3-point shots and finished with 21 for the game, going 8-for-14 from the field. Neveau added 12 to a well-balanced effort by Hillsdale.
UP NEXT: Hillsdale hosts first-place Lake Superior State at 3 p.m. Saturday.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Klopfer