By Steve Thomas
Austin Sports Journal contributing writer

The Hendrickson Hawks are peaking at the right time.

Hendrickson extended its winning streak to 13 games Friday with a 56-53 win over visiting East View in a District 23-5A showdown. The win also gave the Hawks sole possession of first place in the district standings.

Hendrickson junior guard DJ Hardge led all scorers with 20 points. East View junior guard Cayden Hinderman-Close paced the Patriots with 18.

With the district’s top two teams squaring off, the game lived up to the hype. Neither team led by much for long in a back-and-forth battle that stayed tight into the final minutes.

Hendrickson controlled most of the first half, frustrating East View with full-court pressure and an aggressive defensive approach. Offensively, the Hawks attacked the paint early and used that to create open looks on the perimeter.

In the second quarter, Hendrickson went on a 12-3 run, but East View answered with three quick baskets late in the half to cut the deficit to 31-28 at the break.

East View came out with renewed energy in the second half and flipped the momentum. After the Hawks dominated inside early, the Patriots attacked the paint offensively and did a better job protecting the lane on defense. East View also won more 50-50 plays and forced turnovers, outscoring Hendrickson 13-5 in the third quarter.

Hendrickson responded late in the fourth quarter, re-establishing its interior attack and forcing East View into foul trouble down the stretch. The Hawks closed the game by outscoring the Patriots 20-12 in the final period to secure the three-point win.

Box score

	1	2	3	4	F
East View	16	12	13	12	53
Hendrickson	17	14	5	20	56

Hendrickson (21-6, 5-0): Legend Samuel 20, Ryan Longoria 9, DJ Hardge 7, Skyler Elliott 6, Tristan Thomas 6, Adarius Hines 4, KJ Dove 4

East View (19-6, 3-1): Cayden Hinderman-Close 18, Isaiah Villegas 13, Cameron Sanford 8, Van Robertson 7, Damonie Jackson 6, De Marco Wingwood Jr. 1