HIRAM, Ohio – November 8, 2023 – Hiram had an exciting start to the 2023-24 season, carrying a 3-point lead through the first half before falling victim to some hot shooting from Geneva in an 89-79 loss on Wednesday evening at Price Gymnasium.
The Terriers and Golden Tornadoes were neck-and-neck for the vast majority of the game, with there being 12 lead changes and seven ties in front of a roaring home crowd. Geneva was able to pull away thanks to a 47% clip (7-15) from three-point range in the second half after they shot 8% (1-12) from that distance in the first half.
Hiram featured contributions throughout its lineup, with five different student-athletes scoring in double-figures:
Manuel Devora Violan (19),
Dushawn Hill (16),
Noah Adams (13),
Trent Jakacki (12) and
Levi MacAdam (10).
Ivan Yang dominated the glass as well, grabbing a career-high 17 rebounds.
The Terriers were able to find their way to high-percentage looks on the offensive end in the first half, with their first four made field goals coming in the painted area. MacAdam, who racked up 36 points last season against Geneva, then sunk a three-pointer to cut the Geneva lead to 17-15 with 13:04 remaining.
Hill would account for the bulk of Hiram's remaining production in the first half, scoring 11 of Hiram's final 16 points in the half. The sophomore made both of his free throws in the final minute to give the home team a 42-39 lead at the intermission.
Hiram made its first two three-point attempts to start the second half, with Jakacki and Hill lifting Hiram to a 48-41 lead with 18:39 to play in regulation. Geneva would storm back, though, going on a 14-0 run to regain the lead, 55-48, with 16:10 left.
Devora Violan did his part off the bench, scoring 11 second-half points to keep his team within striking distance. The 19-point performance was 9 points more than any other bench player in the game; it also marked Devora Violan's new career-high for points in a single game.
The Golden Tornadoes tandem of Trevor Tipton and Ryan Rachic combined for 48 points to carve out a season-opening win for their team. Both student-athletes shot at least 50 percent from the field in the game.
Hiram will hit the road and travel to Newark, New Jersey for the John K. Adams Tip-Off Classic, which begins on Friday. The Terriers will play Wesleyan University on Friday at 7 p.m., and then either Rutgers-Newark or Springfield College on Saturday. All the action will take place at The Golden Dome on the campus of Rutgers-Newark.
