Preceding their Saturday match up in the Forum Tip Off Classic, both teams have been nearly perfect during the season.
At 4-1, Guerin Catholic suffered their first loss on Dec. 7 against a quality Westfield team.
While Heritage Hills stood at 4-0, they had two close contests against Evansville Christian and North Posey en route to a perfect season thus far.
A back and forth opening quarter that saw Junior forward Trent Sisley score many tough buckets for Heritage Hills put a slim 7-4 lead in favor of Heritage Hills. Not long after, Guerin would take control and end the quarter up 15-14.
Tightening up their loose ends on defense, Guerin Catholic gave up just four points through the second quarter. However, scoring just seven points of their own sent the teams to the locker rooms at a slim 22-18 contest in favor of the Golden Eagles.
In a more favorable third quarter, Heritage Hills was able to claw back behind the scoring of Sisley and Junior wing Colten Hopf.
Going into the final quarter with a slim 36-33 lead, Guerin Catholic was able to fend off the improving play of Heritage Hills behind the efforts of senior guard Robert Sorenson who finished with 29 points and six rebounds.
As the fourth quarter unravled, the physical play between the two teams only grew. With every contested lay up there was an uproar from half the gym wanting a foul call, and for every foul call there waas a uproar from half the gym wanting a no call.
Junior guard Hunter Meridith would nail a three pointer with just under four minutes remaining to make it a 45-39 deficit for the Patriots.
The shortened deficit was short lived for the Patriots as Guerin Catholic would force several charges down the stretch to retain possession.
Even as the Golden Eagles came up short on nearly each free throw down the stretch, they would either get the offensive rebound afterwards or force a turnover on the opposite end. Meridith would hit yet another deep shot to make it a six point game with 20 seconds left to play, but a failed attempt at a baseline steal would result in free throws down the stretch for Guerin Catholic.
Outside of Sorenson, the Golden Eagles had no other double digit scorers, and were just 3-12 from deep as a team. Although it worked in their favor during the 52-42 defeat, it will not always be feasible to rely on just one scorer.
Heritage Hills was paced by Sisley, Hopf and Meredith who scored 14,12 and 11 points, respectively. That style of play is much more suitable in the long run, they just need to improve their 15-44 shooting.
Both teams are capable of making some runs come the spring time, it is just a matter of if they can be consistently efficient.