New Hope Christian was sharp from the free throw line on Thursday, making 14 of 17 (82.4 percent) attempts, to salt away a 56-48 win over host Adena.
The Warriors jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the first quarter, but the Statesmen responded with seven straight points to take a 12-11 lead into the second quarter.
New Hope then used a 13-5 second quarter to increase its advantage to 25-16 going into the break.
Clayton Rhyne contributed five points during the second quarter, while Andrew Swank and Hunter Cavanaugh each knocked down a three-pointer.
“Clayton did a nice job of running the point tonight,” New Hope coach Shane Roese said. “He got to his spots to score the ball and was also 6-6 from the free throw line.”
The Statesmen pushed their lead to 32-19 coming out of the break, but the Warriors finished the quarter on a 13-5 run to make it a two-possession game.
Adena closed to within 46-45 with 1:30 to go, but that’s when Lane Bruning stepped up with a key three with 70 seconds remaining. From there, New Hope used the free throw line to seal its fifth win of the season.
Rhyne tallied six points in the final period of play, while Cavanaugh and Swank added five apiece.
“Hunter played his best game of the season and contributed scoring, rebounding and finding the open man,” Roese said.
Rhyne paced the Statesmen on the night with 19 points and also contributed seven rebounds and three assists. Swank accounted for 12 points, five rebounds and three steals, and Cavanaugh also turned in 12 points to go with five rebounds and four assists.
“Andrew Swank really made us go with his constant on-ball pressure and also contributed scoring and rebounding,” Roese said.
Roese complimented the impact that Bruning made defensively against the Warriors.
“Lane really did a solid job of altering shots all night,” he said. “Adena is a really good mid-range shooting team. He struggled from the field but hit the big three at the end and had nine rebounds.”
The Statesmen (5-1) travel to Circleville on Dec. 28 to face Westfall in the Horizon Holiday Classic. They will return to Roundtown two days later then to take on Athens.
