Thunderhawks junior guard Brody Hayes scored a game-high 18 points, and Lakota East closed with authority to beat visiting Hamilton 47-41 in a Greater Miami Conference showdown on Friday night in Liberty Twp.
In a game that felt destined to be decided in the final minutes, Lakota East eventually pulled away with a 15-7 advantage in the fourth quarter.
The Thunderhawks entered the final period tied at 32 before finally creating breathing room in the closing minutes.
“I think the ball movement on offense was a big thing for us,” Hayes said. “When it pops and moves, that’s when we really get going. Getting them in rotation really got me and my teammates open for shots.”
Hamilton controlled the early tempo, opening with strong defensive pressure and efficient possessions. The Big Blue led 16-12 after one quarter and stretched the margin to as many as eight points midway through the second.
Lakota East weathered that stretch with key contributions from its bench and perimeter shooting. The Thunderhawks closed the half on a surge to knot the game at 23-23 heading into the locker room.
“That stretch was huge for us,” Lakota East coach Clint Adkins said. “We weren’t very good early. We were soft, didn’t get 50-50 balls and weren’t blocking out. But our guys responded, especially when we had to play through foul trouble.”
The third quarter mirrored the first half — physical, tight and emotional. Hamilton briefly regained the lead behind RJ Wilson and Jordon Johnson-Perdomo, who combined for 21 points. Wilson finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, while Johnson-Perdomo added 10 points and two steals.
Brady Bowman controlled the tempo with five assists for Lakota East, while Ashton Washburn provided energy on both ends, finishing with six points and two steals.
“That’s just a GMC game,” Hayes said. “Hamilton’s a great team. They’re physical. Coach Adkins even called us out for being soft in the first half, and we responded the right way. We decided to be physical, rebound and hit shots.”
That response was most evident in the final eight minutes.
“You hit a couple shots in a game like that and get up six, it feels like you’re up 25,” Adkins said. “Our guys finally settled in, defended better and made winning plays down the stretch.”
Lakota East finished the night shooting 46.9% from the field and 43.8% from 3-point range. The Thunderhawks recorded 12 assists on 15 made field goals and limited Hamilton to seven points in the fourth quarter.
Hamilton coach Jake Turner said discipline — or the lack of it — proved to be the difference late.
“I thought we played well enough to win early,” Turner said. “Our defensive pressure and energy were good, and we were getting great shots. In the second half, we lacked discipline. We took forced shots that turned into opportunities for them, and that falls on me.
“They’re very well coached,” Turner added of Lakota East. “They don’t beat themselves. They hit a couple big 3s, and when you make mistakes against a team like that, they make you pay.”
Lakota East (4-2, 3-2 GMC) now enters a brief break in action before traveling to Clearwater, Florida, for its annual holiday trip — a stretch Adkins hopes helps his team continue to gel.
“When you finally get everybody together and it’s just hoop for a week, that’s when you really start progressing,” Adkins said. “The GMC isn’t getting any easier, so we’ve got to keep moving in the right direction.”
Hamilton (3-3, 2-3 GMC) will look to rebound quickly with a Saturday matchup against Badin in the Butler County Bash at Fairfield.
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