The Hillman High School varsity boys basketball team improved to 11-5 overall and 7-1 in the North Star League with a home victory over second-place AuGres, 53-45.

Hillman, once again battling sickness, secured a home victory despite being down one at halftime and heading into the fourth quarter.

In a game of runs, Hillman ultimately got more as early success continued for Hillman, jumping out 9-0 to start the game and 15-6 after one quarter, only to see that lead matched by AuGres heading into the half.

Ultimately, Hillman outscored AuGres in the second half 34-25 for the victory.

Leading the way for Hillman in the scoring column was senior guard Brenden Rouleau with 29, while junior big man Evan Crane rounded out the double-figure scoring with 13.

Junior forward Aedan Tucker led the team in rebounds, with 10, while senior guard Cuyler Schultz once again led the team in assists, with five.

“The two wins this week are huge for us in the league standings,” Hillman head coach Eric Muszynski said. “You have to win on your home floor if you want to contend for league championships. I’m extremely proud of the boys and the grit they showed this week. We essentially played with two healthy guys all week, and they were sick last week. This week speaks volumes of how far we have come.”

ALCONA TOPS TAWAS

After a slow start in the first half, the Alcona High School varsity boys basketball team rallied together and played a strong second half.

The defensive effort was much better and the team was able to turn stops into fast breaks at the other end.

Evan Borsvold (18 points) continued to show why he is more than a handful in the paint. Edju Hechlik (12 points) gave the team some nice minutes off the bench and a boost in scoring. Senior guards Ricky Schott and Garrett Somers rounded out the top scores with nine points and 10 points, respectively.

Another solid team win in which all nine guys contributed to the team’s journey to being 5-0 in league play.