Past Seasons
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2015-2016 North Hagerstown Hubs Varsity Basketball Team
Hubs defeat Westminster, 67-60
How long did it take Reid Wallech to regret leaving the North Hagerstown basketball team six games into last season?
“About two weeks,” the senior said. “I didn’t really have the nerve to say, ‘I want to come back.’”
On Friday night, Wallech showed his want-to as he came off the bench to score 15 points and grab 10 rebounds, helping propel North to a 67-60 win over Westminster.
On a night when the Owls started players 6-foot-8, 6-4 and 6-4 in the frontcourt and jumped to a 7-0 lead, the powerfully-built Wallech (6-5, 235) was just what coach Kevin Hartman’s team needed.
“He did a nice job. That’s what we need out of all our bigs,” Hartman said. “He was the one that stepped up tonight.”
Hartman knows what to expect from his reliable littles. Seniors Malik Carey (21 points), Corey Hart (15 points, five rebounds, three steals, two blocks) and Marqui Hoffman (nine points, five assists) were better than their counterparts on the Owls’ perimeter.
But Wallech’s work was the unexpected surprise, and perhaps a launching pad for a redemptive senior season.
“He’s a great kid and an athlete obviously — you can see how he moves up and down the floor,” Hartman said. “We’re happy that he’s with us this year and playing well. He just has to keep getting better.”
After North (1-1) got off to its slow start, Carey went on a personal nine-point run, hitting a trio of 3-pointers in a span of four possessions to give the Hubs a 9-7 lead.
But North didn’t take control of the game until late in the first half. The Hubs turned up the heat with trapping zone pressure and rang up 17 straight points to close the half.
During the spree, Wallech completed a three-point-play and added a putback, Hart made three transition baskets — one a breakaway after his own steal — and Carey added four points.
“We know we’ve got a lot of speed this year,” Carey said. “We know a lot of teams can’t really run with us. (We’re) always looking for teammates when we get in those (transition) situations.”
In the second half, Westminster rallied behind 6-4 forward Tate Seibel (29 points, 10 rebounds) who finished with five 3s.
The Owls got the deficit into single digits before North answered with an 11-2 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters. Carey hit a 3 and a pair of free throws after the Westminster bench was slapped with a technical foul.
“They shot the ball, played with energy and played hard,” Westminster coach Steve Byrnes said. “We needed to match that energy.”
The Owls had one more run in them, aided by five straight free-throw misses by the Hubs. Westminster cut the deficit to six before Hoffman fed Wallech for an appropriate game-clinching layup in the final minute.
Afterward, Wallech reveled in the difference a year makes.
“I wasn’t playing much and I wasn’t really feeling it,” Wallech said. “But I didn’t want that to be it. I worked in the offseason, tried my hardest.”
North Hagerstown 62, Clear Spring 51
CLEAR SPRING — North Hagerstown knocked Clear Spring from the ranks of the unbeaten on Tuesday night with a come-from-behind, overtime victory.
Down by 10 points with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, North (2-1) rallied to tie the game at 48-all and then took control in overtime.
Malik Carey, who was sick during the day and did not start, ended up as the spark plug for North, scoring 25 points, including a 10-for-10 showing at the free throw line. In the game, North hit 17 of 19 free throws.
Corey Hart added 13 points, Carey had six assists and Reid Wallech and Noah Baylor each had seven rebounds for the Hubs.
Spencer Schultz had 25 points, nine rebounds and three steals and Jaret Lazich added 12 points and four steals for Clear Spring (3-1).
Hubs defeat solid Middletown, 61-41
When Kevin Hartman scouted the Middletown boys basketball team last week, he left the gym more than just a little concerned.
The Knights drained 10 of 22 3-point attempts in that game, and the North Hagerstown coach needed to figure out how to defend their potent perimeter attack.
When the final horn sounded to end the third game of the Hubs Holiday Mixer on Monday night, Hartman was more than just a little relieved, as North used its superior quickness to disrupt the Knights’ offense and breeze to a 61-41 victory.
In two earlier contests, Mountain Ridge trimmed Loudoun County 76-64 and Thomas Johnson edged Smithsburg in overtime, 58-55.
“I saw (Middletown) play against Williamsport when they made 10 3-pointers,” said Hartman. “That told me we were in trouble. But I told the kids what I wanted them to do, and I’m pleased with the way they responded.”
The Hubs (6-1) started the game with a pair of forwards on the floor, and Middletown sharpshooter Matt Considine took advantage, scoring seven of his 13 points in the first five minutes.
With the Knights (5-2) leading 12-6, Hartman moved to a smaller, quicker lineup.
North responded with a 9-0 run, aided by three successive fast-break layups, for a 15-12 lead with 5:55 left in the second quarter.
Considine’s second 3 of the game tied the score at 19, but North ended the half on a 10-4 run for a lead it would never relinquish. Corey Hart led the charge with 10 points in the second quarter.
“Give them credit,” said Middletown coach Aaron White. “They’re really quick and they crashed the boards, too.”
Malik Carey took over in the second half for the Hubs, scoring 16 of his game-high 20 points in the final 16 minutes as North’s lead reached 19 with 5:47 left.
Coincidentally, the last time the Hubs won a game in their own holiday event also came against Middletown, 66-44, three years ago.
Hubs overcome hot Mountain Ridge to pull out 67-61 victory
HAGERSTOWN — North Hagerstown had not won a game in its own Hubs Holiday Mixer since 2012.
That problem was solved on Monday when the Hubs defeated Middletown. The pleasure was doubled on Tuesday in a 67-61 victory over Mountain Ridge.
The game capped off a tripleheader at North, with Middletown beating Smithsburg, 66-38, and Thomas Johnson besting Loudoun County (Va.) 51-44, in the other games on the docket.
Malik Carey scored 25 points to lead North, but individual plays by two other cast members were defining moments in a contest that saw the Miners take early control, only to have the Hubs fight back.
Near the end of the first quarter and bridging into the second, Mountain Ridge (4-2) went on a 16-3 run to take a 30-21 lead with 5:09 left in the first half.
Rasheem Wilson had 17 points, including six straight following a goal by Noah Baylor, all coming off steals and in transition. It trimmed the deficit to 30-29 with 2:30 left before intermission.
“I just try to use my quickness,” Wilson said.
“He’s a tough kid and a leader and it isn’t always by vocal,” North coach Kevin Hartman said of Wilson. “That’s how his career has been and as a team, we will follow his lead.”
North was still behind 53-50 with 5:05 remaining when Carey hit a bucket and Wilson followed with a free throw and deuce to give the Hubs a 55-53 lead with 2:31 to play.
Corey Hart scored on a goal and after two free throws to put the Hubs ahead 59-53 with 1:14 to go. The lead was 63-59 after a 3-pointer by Mountain Ridge’s Lucas Lowry, one of his four.
Two Marqui Hoffman free throws gave North a 65-59 lead.
The second major effort came on behalf of Baylor, a burly 6-foot-5 senior forward. He blocked a Miners shot and then hustled to the sideline with quickness usually reserved for a cat-quick guard. Baylor never wavered, reaching the ball and saving it to a teammate, keeping Mountain Ridge from a potential score.
“We had to take (Noah) out after that play because his arm was bloody,” said Hartman. “(Assistant coach Cliff Carey) said it was the first time he’d seen a big man like that make an effort going into the stands.”
Two additional free throws by Hoffman sealed the win, capping off a night when the Hubs were rather successful at the line, hitting 17 of 23, compared to 8 of 11 for Mountain Ridge.
“I think we came in expecting to win and took (Mountain Ridge) lightly in the beginning,” said Wilson. “But we got ‘D’ up on them and used speed, and that’s the experience we have.”
Expecting a 7-1 start to the season? Maybe so, maybe not.
“We had some hopes coming in because this group has leadership and they’ve shown good practice habits,” said Hartman. “It’s been nothing but positive.”
Justin Halbritten, who had a 25-point effort against Smithsburg on Monday, followed with 21 points, hitting three 3-
Hubs hold off South Hagerstown, 66-62
A month ago, when they blew an eight-point lead in the final four minutes of a 65-62 loss to South
But Wednesday night at South Hagerstown, after nearly blowing a 17-point lead, North remained in control. Senior Raheem Wilson scored 19 points, hit two free throws with 21 seconds left and then sealed it when he ran down a loose ball, assuring the Hubs' 66-62 win.
This time the raucous, court-storming celebration belonged to North, a satisfying conclusion as the Hubs ended their five-game skid against the Rebels.
"We finished this time," Wilson said. "But fourth quarter, we let it slip away. We've got to finish, and do it earlier."
This was one for the seniors of North (14-5), none of whom had ever beaten South. Also instrumental were Hubs' seniors Malik Carey (18 points, five steals) and Noah Baylor (10 points, 12 rebounds).
"The seniors in general stepped up and played very well," North coach Kevin Hartman said. "Corey Hart — I think he might have a broken nose — he played hard. Malik at times got hot and carried us on offense. Noah inside. Reid (Wallech) came off the bench. Raheem played a great floor game. Marqui (Hoffman) hit some big shots, rebounded, hit the floor. Can't say enough about these seniors."
And perhaps best of all for the Hubs, they controlled the player who killed them last time out. South sophomore Amir Harris, who was in the North program last year, had just four points and two rebounds before fouling out with three minutes to go.
When North junior John Teague (four points, eight rebounds) drew a charging foul against Harris on South's final possession of the first half, Hartman leaped high and pumped his fist.
"We've found a comfort level with our defense in the last five, six, seven games," Hartman said. "I think we also had them on an off-night, which — unfortunately for them — happened to be the North-South game."
North has won its last five games.
Senior J.J. Womack (17 points) scored all of his points in the first three quarters for South (11-8), but he didn't get enough help until late.
"I think we need to go to the hoop more. We took too many jumpers," Womack said. "Our inconsistency — I don't know about that one. Some days real good. Some days real bad."
After it was tied 19-all, South took control by closing the first half with an 18-4 run. Carey hit two 3-pointers and scored 10 of the points in the spree. Hoffman also fueled it with a 3-pointer and two steals. Wilson contributed a 3-pointer as well.
The Hubs made all five of their attempts from beyond the arc in the first half. Meanwhile, South made just 3 of its first 15 shots from deep.
Late in the third quarter, North's lead reached 17 points as Wilson passed to Hart (six points) for a jumper and added a 3-pointer.
But things changed quickly when South junior Jeffrey Wetzel opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers.
North was dealt another blow when Hart fouled out with five minutes left. Harris converted the two free throws and the deficit was seven points.
Late in the game, South senior James Brooks muscled for a 3-point play and followed with a layup. All seven of Brooks' points came in the final four minutes and seven of his 10 rebounds came in the fourth quarter.
When junior Exzavion Roman stole an inbound pass and converted a layup, South had cut the lead to 63-61. But that was as close as the Rebels got.
Afterward, South coach Kevin Naylor was dismayed by the disparity in foul calls. North took 38 foul shots, to 18 for South.
"You don't want to blame officials, but when you have athletes you like to see them play," Naylor said. "If you don't get to see them play, it's a waste of time."
