Knights trump Aces for 5th straight win

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

HICKSVILLE — A strong start by Gavin Etzler and a pair of key foul shots by the freshman late in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference in Crestview’s 42-40 win at Hicksville on Saturday.

It was the fifth consecutive win for the Knights (9-9) and the seventh in nine games, while the Aces dropped to 12-5.

Etzler scored seven of Crestview’s 11 first quarter points, hitting a trey and two other baskets, then the 5-9 freshman guard calmly converted both ends of a one-and-one with 19 seconds left in the game to give the Knights a 42-40 lead, which turned out to be the final margin.

“He’s one of the guys we want out there at the end of the game, along with Kaden Short and Kalen Etzler,” head coach Doug Etzler said. “I know he’s a freshman but you get this late in the season you’re not a freshman anymore and he has confidence in his abilities. I’m really proud of him for stepping up – I was nervous for him, but I’m proud that he stepped up and knocked down two big ones for us.”

Hicksville had a chance to tie the game with 3.4 seconds left, when Josh Myers was fouled during a three point attempt. After hitting the first free throw, he missed the next two, but 6-6 sophomore Jackson Bergman grabbed a rebound and put up a shot that was off target at the buzzer.

In between the first and fourth quarters, the game was a defensive struggle.
After Bergman scored six of Hicksville’s 14 points in the opening period, the Aces scored just four second quarter points, while the Knights scored 10 points, including treys by Brody Brecht and JJ Ward, boosting Crestview to a 21-18 halftime lead. Brecht led the game in the second quarter with a gash over his eye, but he returned in the third period.

The Aces hit just three baskets in the third quarter, including triples by Bergman and Landon Turnbull, while Kalen Etzler accounted for six of Crestview’s 10 points, including four free throws. The 6-8 junior finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Turnbull scored 15 points, while Bergman finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Crestview maintained a three point cushion for much of the second half and the Knights were able to respond whenever Hicksville put together any sort of charge.

“You hope your team can make a knockout punch and we weren’t able to do that because they kept battling,” Etzler said. “Every time a big basket was needed – a lot of times it came with them double teaming Kalen and he was able to make a good pass, or we’d make a couple of passes and get a layup a couple of times.”

“I don’t know if our guys would have done this five or six games ago,” Etzler continued. “We’re trusting each other a little bit more and we’ve gained more confidence with each other each and every game.”

The Knights will play at county rival Lincolnview on Friday, then will host Wayne Trace on Saturday.

“You look at Crestview for rivalry times and you think of Lincolnview and Wayne Trace,” Etzler said. “Lincolnview is playing out of this world right now with two big wins this weekend and Wayne Trace is having a great year. Both nights are going to be fun nights.”

Scoring summary

Hicksville 14 4 8 14 – 40
Crestview 11 10 10 11 – 42

Hicksville: Travian Tunis 2-2-7; Josh Myers 0-1-1; Jackson Bergman 4-4-13; Jacob Miller 1-0-2; Mason Slattery 1-0-2; Landon Turnbull 6-1-15

Crestview: Kalen Etzler 4-5-14; Kaden Short 1-0-2; Gavin Etzler 4-2-11; Brody Brecht 3-0-7; Carson Kreischer 1-0-2; JJ Ward 2-0-6

JV: Crestview 41-32