TAMPA — Khoi Wilson had 14 points, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots to help Hillsborough beat Tampa Bay Tech 52-42 and leave the teams tied in the district standings on Thursday. Both are 5-2 in Class 7A, District 8, 11/2 games behind 6-0 Riverview.
The Terriers (10-6) got off to a hot start using fastbreaks and efficient passing to get easy baskets and jump out to an 18-6 first-quarter lead. Wilson, a sophomore point guard, led the charge.
"We knew we had to run and get off to a start like that in order to sustain and win the game," Terriers coach Babita Artabasy said.
"We're a fast team, and Khoi did a great job of getting us running."
The game was a rematch of an intense affair on Dec. 5 that Tampa Bay Tech won 56-47. This time, the Titans (10-5) struggled with their shooting, scoring a combined 14 points in the first and fourth quarters. They kept themselves in the game thanks to 15 offensive rebounds that provided second chances. Senior forward Erica Young led Tampa Bay Tech with 17 points.
The Titans rallied to tie it at 31. But the Terriers quickly regained their composure to extend the lead.
Freshman forward Trinity Baptiste finished with five blocked shots and was crucial in setting the defensive tone for Hillsborough.
"We played them close the first time and felt like we could have won at their place," Artabasy said. "The girls all felt how important of a game this was for us to build on our season so far, and we know we can compete in this district.
"I thought we got good effort and intensity from everyone."