Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 98, Hiram 90

Junior guard Henry Hinkle (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) scored 15 of his career-high 33 points during a span of less than 4 minutes as Ohio Wesleyan took the lead for good, and junior wing David Rice (Cleveland/Parma Padua Franciscan) recorded a pair of career bests as the Bishops went on to a North Coast Athletic Conference win over Hiram on Wednesday at Branch Rickey Arena.

The Terriers had taken a 6-5 lead on a fast-break lay-in by Manuel Devora Violan at the 16:22 mark of the first half.

Hinkle then scored Ohio Wesleyan's next 15 points, answering with a lay-in to put the Bishops ahead to stay before knocking down a jumper from the lane and following with a lay-in with 14:49 left.  Hinkle converted a 3-point play just under a minute later, and after a Hiram turnover, it was Hinkle from downtown to make it 17-6.  On the Bishops' next possession, Hinkle again hit from long range for a 20-7 Ohio Wesleyan lead with 12:53 to play in the period.

The Bishops extended the lead to 37-17 on a 3-point play by sophomore wing Isaac Ward (Circleville/Logan Elm), but the visitors chipped away at the deficit, closing to within a dozen on Trent Jakacki's 3-pointer during the final seconds of the half.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Jakacki and Mitchell Wiechecki brought Hiram within 57-49 early in the second half, but Ohio Wesleyan countered with a 13-4 run that started with 3-pointers by Hinkle and senior post Tony Carter (Cleveland/Parma Heights Holy Name) and included a 3-point play from Rice and a steal and lay-in by sophomore wing Jessee Battle (Gahanna/Lincoln) that put Ohio Wesleyan up, 70-53.

Hiram rallied in the closing minutes, pulling to within 87-80 on a pair of hoops by Delora Violan and a jumper by Jakacki with 1:20 remaining, but the Bishops sank 10 straight free throws, with Hinkle and Rice each draining 4 of those, to withstand a 3-pointer from Tristan Martin-Marshall and a traditional 3-point play by Jakacki during the final minute.

Hinkle went 10-for-16 from the field, including 5-for-8 from beyond the arc, and was 8-for-9 from the line on the way to 33 points.

Rice also rang up a career best in scoring, finishing with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field and 6-of-7 marksmanship from the line, and his 5 assists established another career best.  Ward contributed 12 points, and Carter scored 10 points and snared a team-high 8 rebounds.

Box Score