UTICA — Nate Hite did not mind simply spraying passes to shooters and cutters on Feb. 10.
That unselfishness has become a hallmark of the Utica boys basketball team. Three double-figure scorers highlighted a 70-58 victory against visiting Newark Catholic in Licking County League-Cardinal Division play.
“We have better scorers on the team, so I might as well give them the ball. I know they are going to be successful,” said Hite, a senior guard. “It’s definitely fun because in the locker room nobody has their head down. Everyone has a role in the game and succeeded in it.”
Senior Hunter McKinney scored 19 points and junior Weston Simon 18 for Utica (9-9, 7-7), which completed a season sweep of the Green Wave (10-10, 5-10) and won its third consecutive game. Utica has already bettered its six-win total from last season and is in pursuit of both the program’s first double-digit win season and first winning season since 2022-23.
Sophomore Sam Krueger added 10 points for Utica, which hosts Heath on Feb. 13. The five seniors — Zander Davis, Kamden Hall and Carson Butcher, along with Hite and McKinney — who will be honored before the game have stuck together through a long journey that began with just one win as seventh-graders.
“I would tell you it’s nothing I do. It’s all them,” Utica coach Spencer Kendall said. “They are a lot of fun. They are the ones who come in every day to put in the work. They are a group that has worked incredibly hard. … We are incredibly unselfish. We are at eight different guys in double digits. That’s pretty awesome.”
Utica came charging back in its first meeting with NC, overcoming a 13-point halftime deficit to win 72-68 on Jan. 13, but Utica this time raced out to leads of 18-10 after one quarter and 33-17 at halftime. McKinney scored most of his 14 first-half points in the paint while senior Zander Davis hit two 3s off the bench in the first quarter. Krueger and junior Gavin Dugan each hit a 3 in the second half.
NC freshman Landon Cox hit back-to-back 3s late in the third quarter to cut the Utica deficit to 44-36. Simon, however, benefitted from Utica’s ability to routinely break a desperate NC press, scoring 13 of his 18 points in the second half.
“We are passing the ball and scoring pretty well,” Simon said. “We are starting to jell. We are on a roll now, so we want to keep it going.”
Davis added 8 points and Hall had 7 for Utica. Senior Trey Spurrier scored 17 points to lead NC, and classmate Wesley Stone added 12 points, with Cox chipping in 11.
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Utica boys basketball seniors show perseverance in turnaround
Reporting by Kurt Snyder, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
