Hamilton Heights bounced back from a loss to Blue Ridge a day earlier with an impressive 81-54 victory over ninth-ranked (in latest MaxPreps rankings) Oldsmar Christian on Thursday in the Jim Miller Invitational in Wilmington, N.C.
In what has become a routine for the Hawks, their offensive stalwarts were three Canadian seniors who have all signed college scholarships.
Therren Shelton-Szmidt (Middle Tennessee) led the Hawks with 24 points and hit five of the team’s nine 3-pointers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Kentucky) tossed in 19 points.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Virginia Tech) finished with 15 points.
The offensive production from that threesome propelled the Hawks to their 11th win against five losses.
Hamilton Heights, which will play Miami Country Day out of North Carolina on Friday at 1 p.m.
Elijah Weaver, a junior, sparked Oldsmar (9-6) with 20 points and D.J. Mitchell added 14. Weaver has offers from Louisville, Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina State, Clemson and 19 other Division I schools.
Junior D.J. Mitchell, who scored 14 points for Oldsmar, has offers from Penn State and six other schools.
The Hawks led 39-22 at the half.
In the loss to Blue Ridge, Hamilton Heights got 22 points from Alexander, 20 by Szmidt and 14 from Walker.
Meanwhile, a bit North on I-95 on Thursday, Hamilton Heights’ Lady Hawks remained unbeaten with a 61-38 victory against Life Center Academy in the Title IX basketball tournament in Washington, D.C.
The Lady Hawks (14-0), ranked No. 3 nationally by MaxPreps Xcellent 25 and No. 7 by ESPN and USA Today, advanced to Friday’s final with the 23-point win.
Hamilton Heights had three players in double figures. Elizabeth Balogun led the way with 16 points and eight rebounds. Amber Hunt scored 15 points and Jazmine Massengill added 10 points and nine assists.
Treasure Hunt was credited with eight assists.
The Lady Hawks raced to a 17-3 first-quarter lead and went into halftime with a 32-16 spread.
The two teams played on almost even terms in the second half.
Kaiya Burnett paced Life Center (9-6), which is located in Burlington, N.J., with 10 points.
In their tournament opener, the Lady Hawks defeated St. Laurent 72-31. Balogun led the offense with 16 points, Kamilla Cardosa scored 13 and Massengill added 12.
LINESCORES
BOYS GAME
Oldsmar Christian 22 32 – 54
Hamilton Heights 39 42 – 81
Oldsmar Christian (54) – Elijah Weaver 20, Smith 4, DJ Mitchell 14, Perry 2, Fisher 5, Shekoor 2, O’Guinn 2, Berry 5.
Hamilton Heights (81) – Nickeil Alexander-Walker 15, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 19, Rawls 4, Massengill 2, Edwards 3, Samake 4, Therren Shelton-Szmidt 24, Diawara 4, Panzo 4, Jitoboh, Ezeagu 2.
3-Point Goals – Oldsmar Christian 6 (Weaver 4, Mitchell 1, Berry 1), Hamilton Heights 9 (Szmidt 5, Walker 2, Alexander 1, Edwards 1).
GIRLS GAME
Life Center Academy 3 13 12 10 – 38
Hamilton Heights 17 15 15 14 – 61
Life Center Academy (38) – DeVencenzo, Brown, Kaiya Burnett 10, King 7, Lewis 2, Gardner, McFarlae 2, Mack, Lewis 8, Massenat, Zapa-Smalls 9.
Hamilton Heights (61) – Jazmine Massengill 10, Elizabeth Balogun 16, Williams 3, T. Hunt 2, Jitoboh, R. Balogun, Doumbia 5, Hickey-White 2, Amber Hunt 15.
3-Point Goals – Life Center Academy 4 (Burnett 2, King 1, Lewis 1), Hamilton Heights 7 (A. Hunt 3, Massengill 1, E. Balogun 1, Williams 1, Doumbia 1).
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)