HIRAM, Ohio – December 15, 2023 – Trent Jakacki etched his name in the record books on Friday evening at Price Gymnasium, scoring 46 points – the most by a Hiram student-athlete since 1987 – to spearhead his team past Hilbert, 91-83.

The 46 points are tied for the third-most in a single game in program history, trailing only All-American Rod Swartz's 51 points vs Carnegie Mellon in 1987 and his 49 points vs Kalamazoo in 1985. It's also tied for the most points in a single game by any Division III student-athlete this season (Lancaster Bible's Grant Sareyka had 46 points vs Allegheny).

"I was feeling hot today. I was letting the ball fly and it was going in," Jakacki said after the win. "My teammates were able to get me the ball and we got the win – a win that we needed."

Jakacki also added 5 rebounds and 5 assists; he scored or assisted on 59 of the team's 91 points (64.8%). His 26.0 PPG this season ranks 4^th in all of Division III.

The victory gives Hiram its first home win of the season and snaps Hilbert's seven-game winning streak that dated back to November 15. Ivan Yang and Ricky Esdel combined for 20 points and 14 rebounds off the bench, while Manuel Devora Violan filled the stat sheet for 8 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals alongside Jakacki in the starting backcourt.

"It's huge to get back on the winning side," Jakacki said. "I'm just glad we were able to bounce back."

It was a game defined by pace, with both teams combining for 130 shots and 33 fast-break points over the 40 minutes of high-intensity action. The Terriers scored 55 points in the second half alone, pulling ahead by as many as 18 points before closing out the game at the free-throw line.

Jakacki scored Hiram's first 11 points in the contest, finding his form early on with a mix of hard dribble-drives, a mid-range jumper and a 3-pointer. He finished the first half with 20 points, while the Terriers defense limited their opposition to a 43.3% FG pct (13-30). The halftime score stood at 36-33 in favor of the home team.

Both offenses were firing on all cylinders in the second half, with a flurry of scoring taking place before the first media timeout – the teams combined for 22 points in the first 3:41 of game time. Hiram had four different student-athletes score in the opening minutes, as it hung on to a 3-point advantage that would carry through the 11:16 mark in the period.

Jakacki then took over the game, scoring 13 straight points to propel Hiram to a 72-60 lead with 7:40 remaining. He notably made three straight 3-pointers in less than 90 seconds (10:12 to 8:55), bringing a packed home crowd to its feet.

The junior from Hiram, Ohio also put his versatility on full display, finding open lanes to the hoop – both with the ball and on cuts without the ball – to add another two layups to his tally and lift his team to a commanding lead. He tacked on a free throw and finished the contest with 46 points, which is also the most by a Hiram student-athlete since the program joined the NCAC just before the turn of the century.

Hilbert brought it back to single digits in the final minute, but the Terriers would not let up and held on for the victory in convincing fashion.

Hiram's hustle was also a key factor in the win; the team had the advantage in points off turnovers (19-12), second-chance points (15-11) and fast-break points (21-12). The Terriers are averaging 78.4 PPG this season, which is over 4 PPG more than any other team in the NCAC.

The final game of the 2023 calendar year will be on Monday, when Hiram travels to Adrian, Michigan for a non-conference matchup with the Bulldogs on Monday at 7 p.m.