Mt.Vernon started Tuesday's game against Hamilton Heights on fire, but Gus Etchison had the flamethrower working all game. The 2021 guard posted one of the best games that high school basketball fans will see.

The Marauders scored the first 13 points of the game. Cooper Galli led a barrage of three-pointers. Drew Walker hit a couple. Amhad and Armon Jarrard added a couple of buckets. Before a blink of the eye, Mt. Vernon had a baker's dozen.

Etchison scored five straight points to get Hamilton Heights on the board, but Mt. Vernon scored seven of the next nine points. It looked like the Marauders were going to run the Huskies out of the gym.

Luckily for HH, Etchison scored the last six points of the first quarter. That started an avalanche of points for Etchison. He scored 18 points in the second period as he helped turn a nine-point deficit into an eight-point lead. Etchison was 6-8 from the field in the quarter including 3-3 from deep.

In the first half, Etchison had 29 points and nine rebounds as HH led 39-31.

It was a great half, but surely he would fizzle out in the second, right? Wrong. Etchison opened the second half with a three-point play to push the Heights lead to 11. Mt.Vernon tried to deny Etchison the ball, and that cut down on his looks in the third quarter.

Sophomore Amhad Jarrard had a great game. He had a productive third quarter to get the Marauders back in it. He scored 10 points in the stanza as he used his length to drive and finish. He also converted at the free throw line.

Heading to the fourth, the game was tied. It was back and forth from there. Etchison opened the scoring, but Armon Jarrard answered then Ryan Morris gave Mt. Vernon the lead. Lucas Letsinger gave Heights the lead right back. For the game, there were 10 lead changes and eight ties.

Etchison buried a three to tie the game with five minutes remaining before Drew Walker answered with a three of his own. Etchison came right back with another triple seconds later. He gave Heights the lead with 1:34 left, but Galli connected on a three to give Mt. Vernon the lead back.

Down two with 70 seconds left, Heights was called for an offensive foul. Etchison then turned the ball over on the next two HH possessions. That was three consecutive possessions without a shot, and Mt. Vernon made five of six free throws to extend the lead to seven points. Overall, the Marauders hit 23-26 free throws.

Mt. Vernon walked away with the 80-71 victory. Amhad Jarrard was great for the Marauders with 25 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Drew Walker, Cooper Galli, Ryan Morris, and Armon Jarrard were all in double figures for Mt. Vernon.

Gus Etchison turned in one of the best offensive performances I've ever seen. He had 56 points on 19-34 from the floor. He was 7-13 from three-point range, and 11-12 from the free throw line. He also had 13 rebounds, two steals, and an assist. His efficiency was remarkable.

Hudson Hochstedler added eight. Lucas Letsinger had six.