COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Despite a third quarter surge by New Hope Christian (4-6) giving them a seven point lead, Independence (4-9), behind the leadership of senior forward Ben James, battled back and protected their home court by defeating the Statesmen 64-57.

Right from tip-off, the Statesmen knew they were in for a fast-paced game. Both teams came out assertive, and Independence took a 16-13 lead going into the second thanks to hot offensive starts for forwards Andre Trent and Willie Mulkins.

After a huge dunk by Independence’s Ben James in the second frame, New Hope answered on the ensuing possession when lone senior Jakob Hunziker converted an and-one, cutting the Independence lead to 30-25 with 4:44 to play in the half.

Despite Independence’s clear size advantage, New Hope was able cut the lead to 36-33 at the intermission in part to back-to-back three-pointers by sophomore guard Josh Mullins.

Behind two huge three’s by sophomore guard Caleb Heidish, the Statesmen came out on a 10-2 run to begin the third, giving them a five point advantage early in the third stanza. New Hope extended their lead to as much seven behind a combined 31 points by Jakob Hunziker and Caleb Heidish. Heidish and Hunziker stepped up offensively when the Sixers did a nice job containing New Hope’s leading scorer in Tyler Cavanaugh.

Kan Freeman and Ben James sparked a run late in the third allowing the Sixers to enter the final frame tied 50-50. The two combined for 18 points through three quarters.

Showing no signs of fatigue, the 76ers began the final frame on a 10-2 run, proving to wear down the Statesmen. Increased pressure from Independence’s backcourt made things difficult offensively for the Statesmen.

Trailing by eight with just over a minute to go, New Hope’s Heidish hit his sixth three of the night, cutting the deficit to 62-57. In the final minute, Independence was able to seal the game thanks in large part to free throws and key defensive stops.

Jakob Hunziker dominated inside with 18 points and eight rebounds for the Statesmen. Caleb Heidish tallied 18 points and three assists. Junior forward Simon McAllister also contributed nine points and 10 rebounds in the loss. New Hope looks to bounce back on Friday when they host Calvary Christian.

James led the way for Independence with 12 points and nine rebounds, followed by Kan Freeman who had 10 points of his own. Independence improves to 4-9 with the win and will be back in action with a City League game tomorrow at undefeated South.

Jakob Hunziker (6’5 WF / New Hope / 2019): Jakob Hunziker brought the intensity on Monday for the Statesmen on both ends by leading the way with 18 points and eight rebounds. The 6-foot-5 wing forward controlled the glass against a long, athletic Independence team. While continuing to show off his impressive mid-range game, Hunziker has proven to be a great driver by bulldozing his way through the paint. Defensively, Hunziker battles hard inside and tonight’s matchup against Independence’s senior forward Ben James was a true testament to his capabilities, containing him to only 12 points. Without his fight and killer attitude, the Statesmen could’ve been looking at a larger deficit against the 76ers. I would expect Hunziker to continue to fight offensively and defensively night in and night out. The senior could be a late steal at the D-III level for someone looking for a traditional power forward that can do work on the block and also stretch out the floor.

Caleb Heidish (5’8 WG / New Hope / 2021): Heidish put on a shooting clinic in Monday night’s viewing, finishing with 18 points on six of 10 shooting from beyond the arc. Standing at only 5-foot-8 and 130 pounds, the sophomore wing guard has had to find ways to be effective offensively, and he did just that tonight. Offensively, he has proven to excel off the ball by  looking to spot up and hit the three. Heidish’s shooting also allowed him to spread out the Independence defense, creating lanes for Hunziker and Cavanaugh to bulldoze their way through. Caleb proved tonight that he can be an offensive force through knockdown shooting over much larger defenders. Defensively, Caleb uses his small body to find opportunities to force turnovers. In the coming years, look for Caleb to grow and develop into a more effective driver. If he is able to add more skills to his arsenal, there won’t be a lot that defenses can do to stop him.