HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College Men's Basketball opened the 2026-27 season with a 105-98 victory over Penn College on Friday evening inside the Hafner Recreation Center. With the win, the Hawks advance to Saturday's Hawks vs. Hunger Tip-Off Tournament championship game tomorrow afternoon.
The opening half featured a competitive start as the teams traded baskets and five lead changes through the first several minutes. Neither side was able to create much separation early before Hilbert began to find its rhythm midway through the period. The Hawks tightened up defensively, forced turnovers, and converted those opportunities into points on the offensive end. A 16-9 run helped Hilbert turn a one-possession game into a double-digit advantage.
Hilbert continued to build on the lead throughout the remainder of the half. The Hawks controlled the paint, generated second-chance opportunities on the offensive glass, and received scoring contributions from multiple players. By halftime, Hilbert had forced 10 turnovers and carried a 44-31 lead into the locker room while holding Penn College to 44.0 percent shooting.
Penn College came out aggressively after the break and quickly increased the pace of the game. The Wildcats found success offensively and steadily chipped away at the deficit over the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Despite the push, Hilbert continued to answer with key baskets and maintained the lead throughout the period.
The final minutes turned into an offensive showcase as both teams traded scores. Penn College cut the margin to five points on multiple occasions and threatened to make it a one-possession game late, but the Hawks responded each time. Hilbert converted crucial free throws, finished possessions with timely baskets, and closed out the victory by scoring 61 second-half points.
The Hawks finished the night shooting 52.9 percent from the field while producing 56 points in the paint. Hilbert also turned 21 Penn College turnovers into 31 points and owned a 29-10 advantage in second-chance points. The Hawks received 39 points from their bench and totaled 105 points in the season opener.
Jaden Mitchell led all scorers with 28 points while adding six rebounds and three steals.
Ari Jones added 25 points and seven rebounds, while
Jayden Montgomery recorded a double-double with 20 points and 12 assists to go along with five steals.
UP NEXT:
The Hawks will take on Springfield in tomorrow's championship at 3 pm
