HHS boys’ hoops team advances in state playoffs

Lawson, Worth combine for 32 points, 29 rebounds.

By: Kyle Moylan
   HIGHTSTOWN — Tim Lawson wasn’t looking for any applause or pats on the back for scoring 16 points in the Hightstown High boys’ basketball team’s 64-50 win over Long Branch in the opener of the Central Jersey Group III playoffs Thursday night.
   The way Lawson sees it, the points are a reward in themselves.
   "I work hard on defense, rebounding and boxing out," Lawson explained. "Points are the gifts you get for doing the other things right."
   Lawson and Bryan Mino Worth were getting a lot of gifts because they both were doing a lot of things right on Thursday night.
   Lawson finished the game with 16 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists, 6 steals, 2 blocks and he took a charge. Worth recorded 16 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and a block.
   After facing Long Branch in a regular-season game earlier this season, Hightstown High Coach Don Hess saw his team had a size advantage down low.
   Considering one loss and the playoffs are over, Hightstown was going to use that advantage as much as possible.
   "We work on boxing out, rebounding and defense every day at practice," Worth noted. "Coach Hess is a great teacher of defense."
   Hightstown needed that defense because it shot only 15-for-26 from the foul line and had 17 turnovers.
   "They’re a guard-oriented team that traps you a lot, so that will create more turnovers," Hess said. "We have to shoot better from the line, though. All wins are good, but I’m not ecstatic by this one."
   Hess could be happy to see the way his team responded to pressure. Hightstown took the lead in the middle of the first quarter and never let it slip away. Long Branch made a few runs at Hightstown, but the Rams always seemed to have an answer.
   A 3-pointer by Bobby Dougherty late in the second quarter was followed by a shot off the glass at the buzzer by Terril Choice as Hightstown led 37-27 at the half.
   A nifty length-of-the-court run in the final four seconds of the third quarter by Mike Williston was another way Hightstown shot down a run by Long Branch.
   Hightstown got valuable contributions from a lot of players. Cory Smith scored all 7 of his points in the fourth quarter. Williston and Dougherty controlled the offense and each added 7 points. Choice added 11 points.
   If anyone wanted to know who the big stars were in this one for Hightstown, however, they needed to look up. Because Lawson and Worth were standing above the crowd.
   "Our big kids did quite well," Hess noted.
   And the crowd of about 1,000 Hightstown faithful appreciated the effort.
   "Our fans have been there all year," Lawson said. "We have the best fans in the CVC, maybe even the whole state. I love them."
   And based on the way Lawson and Worth played, chances are they were loved right back.