Freshman Jean Luc Wilson had a season-high 24 points, but Highland used a second-half surge to rally past the Carl Sandburg College men’s basketball team 96-86 on Thursday at John M. Lewis Gymnasium in a back-and-forth Arrowhead Conference opener for both teams. The loss to the defending league champion Cougars (9-5) was the first in 10 home games this season for Sandburg (14-5). The contest featured seven ties and 10 lead changes. Sandburg raced to an early 16-3 lead, using 3-pointers from Wilson and sophomore guard Scott Gowan. The Chargers still led by 13 near the midpoint of the first half before Highland used a 12-2 spurt to help take its first lead. The teams went into halftime tied at 41. Gowan delivered a four-point play from the left corner to put Sandburg ahead 57-53 with 15:35 to go, but the Cougars answered with an 11-0 run to take the lead for good. Wilson’s 24 points surpassed his previous best of 18 in Sandburg’s season opener. Up next for Sandburg is an 11 a.m. Saturday vs. Knox JV.
