In high school basketball, going up against teams who have a player committed to a Power 4 program is never a small feat. Despite an 8-11 record coming into their Feb. 10 matchup with Rockhurst, Pembroke Hill had just that, with senior Mavrick Hawkins committed to playing at Vanderbilt next year. But the undefeated, No. 1-ranked Hawklets (21-0) did what they’ve done all season–play physical team defense and spread the ball around on offense–en route to another double-digit win, 59-44.
From the opening minutes, the game carried a physical tone, with officials allowing extended contact on both ends of the floor. Whistles were scarce–especially in the first half. Neither team was getting the calls they wanted–especially Hawkins, who showed visible frustration with no-calls throughout the game.
Rockhurst was able to build a comfortable 19-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. The defensive pressure from the Hawklets set the tone, forcing turnovers and offensive fouls against the Raiders–a trend that would continue throughout the game.
Pembroke Hill stayed within striking distance in the second quarter, but the Hawklets never allowed the Raiders to shift the momentum in their favor. They even stretched their lead a little bit, holding a 33-21 advantage heading into the locker room.
While Hawkins entered the matchup as the headline player, Rockhurst made it clear they were not going to let a single star player dictate the game’s outcome.
“Basketball’s a team sport,” sophomore guard Elijah Curtis said. “If you have an X factor player but no one around him, then you’re going to lose. And we made sure that’s exactly what happened.”
Help-side defense, double teams, and physical rebounding kept the Raiders from establishing a rhythm on offense. Rockhurst used their length to help stifle Hawkins, specifically, as 6-foot-6 junior Kemper Roberts, 6-foot-6 senior Kevin Sullivan and 6-foot-5 senior Hueston Saunders all spent time guarding the 2026 McDonald’s All-American Game nominee. He would finish with nine points.
Offensively Rockhurst continued to showcase their complimentary style of play, with multiple players contributing to the victory. Roberts led the way with 13. Senior Cohen Robinson put up 11. Saunders, senior Max Moylan and junior Carson Green each scored eight, respectively.
Against a talented scorer bound for the SEC, Rockhurst proved again that discipline and fundamental basketball beats individual talent, something head coach Billy Thomas has preached to the team since day one.
“Passing and layups,” Robinson said. “It’s simple things that–when we execute properly–can cause a lot of damage.”
The win added another strong performance to the Hawklets’ resume as they headed into the final home game of the season on Feb. 17 versus Center High School. The Hawklets will look to finish their season with an undefeated record at home.
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Notes: The victory was Rockhurst’s 14th by double-digits (through 21 games)… The Hawklets average margin of victory is more than 20 points per game (64.52-43.14).
