Highland's boys basketball team notched a nice win Tuesday night as the 2022 portion of the current season opened for many teams.

The Hawks dealt Tucson High its first loss of the season, using a strong second half to dispatch the Badgers, 65-48, at Highland High. Highland outscored Tucson, 34-15, after intermission to improve its season record to a solid 11-3. Tucson had won its first 13 games.

Highland's Mason Knollmiller poured in 28 points dominating the paint. Knollmiller made his first 11 shots and 13 of 15. Nothing he converted was longer than five feet, which is not unusual for the 6-foot-2 senior. Riggs chipped in 15 points - 10 in the second half.

"We knew how good they are," Highland coach Todd Fazio said. "We spent a lot of time on them. They hurt us early from outside, but once we figured things out the game got better for us."

Tucson led by as many as nine points in the first quarter (20-11), thanks to a hot start from the perimeter from senior Isaac Martinez. Martinez sanke his first four shots (all threes) and from every angle. Martinez, however, did not score again. Highland pulled withing 20-15 after the first period and was down just 33-31 at half.

Knollmiller led the second-half assault along with AJ Riggs. They scored nine of Highland's 15 points in the third period. Riggs was charged with handling the defensive assignment on Martinez, who put up just two shots after his early salvos.

Highland plays its final non-region game of the season on Thursday visiting Shadow Ridge. Tucson won't play again until Jan. 11 when it opens region play at home against Rincon/University.

Highland's AJ Riggs (5) defends Tucson's Isaac Martinez in the first half on Tuesday. (Azpreps365 photo)