Taratuta Becomes Scoring King, Hits Game-Winner vs. Oscoda

The Hillman Tigers boys’ basketball team hosted the Oscoda Owls last night, as Hillman’s Trenton Taratuta looked to make history.

Looking to become the all–time leading scorer in tigers’ history, Taratuta brought the ball down on Hillman’s first possession. He passed it to Evan Crane, Cuyler Schultz set him an off-ball screen, and with an alley-oop layup, Trenton Taratuta became the scoring king for the tigers. Former record holder Mason VanPamel was in the building to present Taratuta the record ball.

The game was full of excitement. In the fourth quarter, Oscoda’s Michael Myles hit several three pointers to build a lead for the Owls.

Taratuta led the Tigers back into it, bringing them back from a 10-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. He could not hit the game-winning shot in regulation, and the game went to overtime.

In the final seconds of overtime, Blake Mallak missed the first free throw, but hit the second and Oscoda led by two. Five seconds left, Taratuta brought the ball down the court, got open for a three-pointer, and hit nothing but net to win the game for the Tigers.

Taratuta scored 41 points as Hillman defeated Oscoda, 57-56.

“I needed one point, but coming in, I wanted to throw it down, but I’ll take it,” said Taratuta about his record-setting basket. “Credit to my guys for setting me up with it. It worked out how we planned it, and it was a great feeling.”

“I had to,” he said about pulling the game-winning three with five seconds left. “I just missed a couple free throws, I couldn’t leave my team hanging like that, so I had to.”