The Higbee boys basketball team moved to 6-0 Friday night with a 72-37 win over Tina-Avalon in Higbee. 

The Tigers continued their torrid scoring pace by putting 72 points on the board. That total was the fourth-highest point total this season for the Tigers. They are averaging 81.7 points per game on the 6-0 season. It seems that finishing fourth in Class 1 a year ago did not sit well with the young squad that boasts three seniors this season after losing only one senior from last season. Along with three juniors, the majority of the team are sophomores, five of whom logged significant playing time in last season’s historic run. In the 2020-21 campaign, the Tigers finished 19-7 and advanced to the final four for the first time in school history before losing to South Iron in the semifinal and St. Elizabeth in the consolation game.

Higbee jumped out to a 15-4 lead after the first quarter, holding Tina-Avalon to two points until late in the stanza. “I thought we came out and got after it pretty good,” said Higbee coach Tanner Burton. The second quarter showed 30 points being added to the Higbee side while the Tina-Avalon Dragons were only able to add 10, allowing Higbee to take a 45-14 lead into the locker room at the half. “We weren’t crisp defensively early, but found a groove in the second quarter offensively which allowed us to pull away,” said Burton.

Higbee finished the third quarter leading 63-28 and scored nine in the final quarter to secure the 72-37 win.

Four Tigers finished in double figures in the 35-point victory. Sophomore Derek Rockett led the team with 26 points. To prove he is not just an offensive flash, he pulled down 13 rebounds for the double-double. Classmate Derek Fuemmeler added 15 points and pulled down five rebounds while dishing out five assists. Senior Malaki Squires contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. Another sophomore, Jaxon Hudson, was also in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds.

Junior Chad Crawford pumped in four points and senior Luke Ritter hit for two. Senior James Smith added one in the victory.

“We will look to improve some areas of our pressure and add some varied looks to keep improving on the defensive end,” said Burton. “Offensively, We have to do a better job of moving without  the ball to be more consistent.”

Having completed approximately one-quarter of their games the Tigers seem to be a team on a mission. Currently ranked 14th in the state, Higbee has two players, Rockett and Fuemmeler, averaging more than 20 points per game and another, sophomore Will Spilman, averaging 10.5.

With the win, Higbee moves to 1-0 in the CLAA Conference.