Box Score
Hiram 86, Ohio Wesleyan 84

Freshman wing Ethan Stanislawski (Massillon/Jackson) scored 7 points and freshman wing Gabe Johnson (Chicago, Ill./Wheaton St. Francis) added 6 more as Ohio Wesleyan narrowed a 12-point deficit to a single point, but Hiram withstood the Bishop comeback and held on for a North Coast Athletic Conference win on Saturday at Hiram.

Ohio Wesleyan trailed, 80-68, with 5:23 left in regulation time when the Bishops got a pair of free throws from Johnson and junior post Grant Gossard (Westerville/Olentangy Orange) and a lay-in from Stanislawski to halve the deficit.

It was still a 6-point margin when Johnson sank a pair of free throws to make it 84-78 with :40 left in regulation time.  Sophomore wing Dawsin Tillman (Bellefontaine) followed with a steal, leading to a Stanislawski 3-pointer that brought the Bishops within 84-81.

The Bishop defense forced another turnover, and Stanislawski drew a foul and hit both free throws for an 84-83 score with :12 remaining.

Forced to foul, the Bishops sent Jalen Kirksey to the line, and he sank 2 free throws to give the hosts an 86-83 advantage with :05 to go.

The Terriers then fouled Stanislawski with :01 remaining, and the Bishop wing hit the first before missing the second, and Hiram got the rebound to end the contest.

Trifectas by Marcel Rice and Austin Blatt, along with a traditional 3-point play from Kirkley, helped Hiram build a 20-10 lead in the first 7-plus minutes of the game.  Hiram held a 38-31 lead at the break and pushed the lead back into double figures when Tyler McMillion opened the second-half with a 3-pointer.

Stanislawski scored 5 consecutive points to pull Ohio Wesleyan within 6 points early in the period, but Kirksey sparked the Terriers with back-to-back steal-and-score plays as Hiram extended the lead to 65-49 with 13:44 to play.

Stanislawski led the Bishops with 22 points and 3 assists.  Freshman guard Curtis White (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) finished with 15 points, Johnson finished with 12 points, and Gossard recorded his fourth consecutive double-double, posting 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Kirksey led Hiram with 22 points.

Box Score