The Hughes BIG RED's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their fourth straight loss. They ended up on the wrong side of a rough 70-50 walloping at the hands of Aiken. While losing is never fun, Hughes can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 233rd, while Aiken is ranked 54th).
Hughes' defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jayvion Stanford, who scored eight points along with six rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Elijah Engleman, who scored eight points along with six rebounds and two steals.
Aiken's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from James Burnett, who scored 15 points along with five steals. Another player making a difference was Jaiden Arnold, who scored 12 points along with three steals and two blocks.
Hughes bumped their record down to 7-7 with that loss, which was their third straight at home. As for Aiken, the win was the fourth in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 10-4.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Hughes will take on New Richmond at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Aiken on the road again on Tuesday and play against Withrow at 7:30 p.m. on January 23rd.
