By RICHARD TORRES<\/p>\n
For The Reporter<\/p>\n
FISHERS \u2013 For 29 minutes on Friday, Dec. 19, the Hamilton Southeastern defense held Cooper Zachary scoreless.<\/p>\n
Fishers\u2019 Kai McGrew scored 26 points to help the Tigers win the boys\u2019 Mudsock game over Southeastern. (Joshua Herd)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The same couldn\u2019t be said for the final three.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey did a very good job of taking me away,\u201d Zachary said. \u201cOnce I hit my first shot, I knew we had to\u00a0win this game, so I had to step up in big ways, and I feel like I did.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the Tigers trailing 55-53 in the fourth quarter, Zachary buried his first shot \u2013 a 3-pointer \u2013 marking the night\u2019s 13th<\/sup>\u00a0and last lead change in a back-and-forth Mudsock rivalry installment that wasn\u2019t settled until the final 32 seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cIt did not feel good. I\u2019m not going to lie, but, I mean, I released it, and I didn\u2019t think about it. I just shot it. When that happens, it tends to fall,\u201d Zachary remarked on his clutch 3-pointer.<\/p>\n Zachary was shadowed by HSE senior Maverick Young throughout, but his first points initiated a 9-0 run capped by two of the standout\u2019s six converted free throws down the stretch to fend off a potential Royals\u2019 comeback.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a rough night. Obviously, they did a nice job guarding, but we found a way to win. (Cooper) is one of the toughest players I\u2019ve ever coached, and we\u2019ve got to do a better job being able to get him shots when they\u2019re going to guard him like that,\u201d Fishers coach Garrett Winegar said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to screen better, and that\u2019s something we\u2019re constantly working on, but it\u2019s just taking longer than I\u2019d like to figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n The Tigers solved the issue after a trio of ties in the second half, including a 46-46 deadlock to start the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n Down 6-0 to start the game and later 16-8 in the first quarter, the Tigers (5-0, 2-0 HCC) converted 10 of 10 free throws in the last 2:09 to push the program\u2019s winning streak against Hoosier Crossroads Conference rival HSE to seven consecutive games.<\/p>\n The Royals (2-3, 1-1 HCC) carried the advantage until Fishers senior Kai McGrew, who finished with a game-high 26 points and eight rebounds, drilled one of his four 3-pointers with 1:31 remaining in the first half to put the Tigers ahead 25-24.<\/p>\n With Fishers trailing 30-28, McGrew struck again with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that gave the Tigers a 31-30 lead at halftime.<\/p>\n Landon Osswald scored 16 points for Southeastern. (Joshua Herd)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cHe gave us a lot of momentum. Kai has been tremendous for us. Obviously, he\u2019s a player that we need, and he\u2019s going out there and showing it every night,\u201d Zachary said. \u201cWhether that\u2019s getting rebounds, dunking or hitting shots, he does everything for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Fishers junior Jason Gardner Jr. poured in 20 points on 7 of 16 shooting with three assists, while Zachary had nine points \u2013 all in the fourth quarter \u2013 and senior Torey Breland added seven.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like we are a little bit doubted because we lost six seniors. Everyone\u2019s really writing us off. We\u2019re the No. 1 team in the state, but everyone thinks they can really get us,\u201d Zachary said. \u201cBut we know how good we are. We know what we can do, and we\u2019ve got to go out there and prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n After a pair of 3-pointers by HSE senior Luke Weemer and sophomore Varschon Clark cut Fishers\u2019 lead 62-61 with 48 seconds remaining, Zachary and McGrew stepped up and cemented the game from the foul line.<\/p>\n Zachary went 4-for-4 and McGrew hit the game\u2019s final two free throws for a 6-0 run in the last 32 seconds.<\/p>\n Weemer posted a team-high 20 points for HSE, followed by 16 points and eight rebounds by senior Landon Osswald. Clark added 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks.<\/p>\n \u201cI do not think we\u2019re playing great, but we\u2019re finding ways to beat good teams. I think HSE is a very good team. I think coach (Bobby) Allen\u2019s an excellent coach. They\u2019re just going through the phase of learning how to win,\u201d said Winegar, who became Fishers\u2019 winningest boys coach with a 113-24 record in six years. \u201cThat\u2019s a team that nobody\u2019s going to want to see in the tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/readthereporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/hse-landon-osswald.jpg\")
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