With the end of the Northeast Hoosier Conference now squarely on the horizon, Homestead and DeKalb will be going their separate ways in the future. But in the present, the two longtime foes battled Friday night in front of a sold out crowd in southwest Allen County for three and a half quarters until the home side was able to pull away for a victory.
Homestead had a decided size advantage coming into the game with McDonald's All-American Caleb Swanigan and Colgate pledge Dana Batt, both listed at 6'9, and the opening stretch of the game would prove that advantage true. The twin towers controlled the paint, snagging offensive rebounds and finishing around the basket.
With DeKalb packing the paint and daring Homestead's guard to shoot, Swanigan and Batt found creases to maneuver. The pair would combine for 16 of the Spartans' 20 points in the quarter, and stifle DeKalb's offense en route to a 20-9 lead.
The visitors, coming in with a 11-4 record, showed why they have been a tough squad to beat by battling back in the second. They started the quarter on a 7-0 run thanks to junior wing Will Chrisman and junior guard Hunter Cone. Chrisman was matched up against Batt, and the junior used his quickness advantage to drive around Batt and get into the paint.
Cone hit a pair of threes in the quarter, the second one coming from about 25 feet out over the outstretched hand of Caleb Swanigan. However, the story of the first quarter would repeat itself in the second, as Swanigan grabbed four offensive rebounds in the half on his way to a near double double by the half, which saw Homestead take a 32-23 lead into the locker room.
DeKalb would continue to fight coming out of the break, as Hunter Cone would hit yet another deep three and Cole Hartman, who rolled his ankle badly early in the first quarter and was a non factor in the opening half, was able to connect from behind the arc as well. DeKalb would tie the game at 36 midway through the quarter, but Homestead would quickly regain the lead and enter the fourth holding a 41-40 lead. Caleb Swanigan was held scoreless in the quarter.
The attention behind paid to Swanigan would come to bite the Barons, as Swanigan would flash into the high post area, leaving the baseline open for Tahj Curry and Ben Skowronek were able to exploit the defense for easy buckets.
DeKalb would finally run out of steam halfway through the fourth. A six point advantage would force them out of their packed in defense, and senior Jordan Geist would respond shortly thereafter with an old fashioned three point play to push the Homestead advantage to 13. DeKalb would get as close as seven on a three by Dahlton Daub, but Jordan Geist would seal the game from the stripe and give Homestead a 64-51 win.
DeKalb 9 14 17 11 - 51
Homestead 20 12 9 23 - 64
DeKalb: Hunter Cone 17 points (5/11 3Ps); Will Chrisman 16 points (5/9 FGs), 5 rebs, 4 asts; Cole Hartman 11 points (3/6 3Ps); Dahlton Daub 5 points; Carson Forrest 2 points
Homestead: Caleb Swanigan 16 points (6/10 FGs), 16 rebs, 5 asts, 3 stls; Jordan Geist 15 points; Tahj Curry 11 points, 4 rebs; Ben Skowronek 11 points; Dana Batt 6 points; Teddy Ray 3 points; Tyler French 2 points.