ROMNEY, W.Va. — When push came to shove in the fourth quarter, the more experienced squad prevailed.
The senior-laden Hampshire Trojans trailed the entire first half but weathered the storm to enter the fourth tied with two-time defending area champion Fort Hill at 35.
From there, Hampshire made just enough free throws and came up with just enough stops down the stretch to outlast Fort Hill, 53-50, on Friday night.
“I’m stoked because there was a lot of adversity there in the first half. We were down,” Hampshire head coach Danny Alkire. “Between that, and the guys getting in foul trouble early in the second half. … I’m just happy for the guys and the way they fought at the end through adversity.”
Hampshire (3-1) completed a clean sweep of the Cumberland public schools this week, defeating Allegany, 54-31, on Tuesday.
Fort Hill, which opened the season with a 63-54 victory over Boonsboro on Wednesday, falls to 1-1.
“We just made too many mistakes to win a basketball game,” Fort Hill head coach Thad Burner said. “I thought we had plenty of opportunities. Tough third quarter. We got behind there. Think we got a little lackadaisical defensively. We’ll learn from it.”
The Sentinels were without starting point guard Gamil Daniels, who served a one-game suspension after picking up two technical fouls in the opener, but they still had their chances to earn a road win.
Fort Hill jumped out to a 12-4 lead, and that would be its largest. Hampshire’s 49-43 edge with 1:20 to play after a pair of Ethan VanMeter free throws was its game high.
The Sentinels clawed within 52-50 after a Jabril Daniels triple with 4.1 remaining. Hampshire’s Matt Medina split a pair of foul shots on the other end, but Fort Hill turned it over on its final possession in the backcourt.
“I think the biggest thing that will help us going forward is we’ll get in better basketball shape,” Burner said. “It’s unfortunate we lost today, but we just want to continue to try to get better on both ends.”
The Hampshire duo of Izaiah Thorpe and Carder Monroe led all scorers with 15. Thorpe buried a trio of first-half 3-pointers to pull the Trojans within 24-19 at intermission after trailing 12-6 after a period. He finished with four treys.
Hampshire’s defense was the story of the third quarter, as the Trojans limited Fort Hill to just one bucket — a Landen Sweitzer 3-pointer.
“We talk discipline all the time,” Alkire said. “We don’t have to reach for the ball. We don’t have to go for a steal. Just stay in front of it and stay with your assignment in the gap, and it’s hard to get by.”
Matt Medina made it three Trojans in double figures with 10 points, and Trenton Timbrook scored seven, all in the second half.
Liam Hamilton and Jabril Daniels led the way for Fort Hill with 11 points each, and Sweitzer and Landyn Green added 10 each.
The game turned into a free-throw frenzy in the second half, as the teams combined for 45 fouls and 63 attempts from the charity stripe.
Hampshire was 21 for 35 at the line, and Fort Hill was 17 of 28. Medina made 8 of 12 from that range, and Timbrook was 5 for 8.
Three Sentinels attempted six free throws, led by Hamilton’s 5 for 6 effort.
Hampshire was bailed out by Thorpe at times in the first half, who took advantage of a soft perimeter defense by Fort Hill, but the Trojans attacked the basket following intermission to get to the line.
Hampshire took 27 free throws following halftime.
Fort Hill won the junior varsity game 36-35 on a 3-pointer by Anthony Palumbo at the buzzer.
Both teams now enter the holiday break.
Fort Hill plays in a tournament at South Hagerstown beginning Friday against the hosts.
Hampshire heads to Charleston, West Virginia, where it’ll play Independence on Friday at 7 p.m.
The Trojans may not have the athleticism that Fort Hill possesses in the open court, but they have plenty of experience. That came in handy in a tight basketball game Friday.
“I’ve learned over the years, it doesn’t matter the talent, it’s how hard they like each other and play for each other,” Alkire said. “No animosity whatever happens, and you just play for each other. I’m glad we have that right now.”