Freeport's Gavin Croney dribbles the ball while looking for a teammate during the Yellowjackets’ 74-47 boys basketball loss to Highlands Friday night. Croney led Freeport with 12 points. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle

BUFFALO TWP — Freeport managed to slow down a running Highlands team in the first quarter, but as Yellowjackets’ boys basketball coach Sean Devinney said: “One quarter does not make a game.”

The Golden Rams soon began to dictate the pace and dealt host Freeport a 74-47 section loss at home Friday night.

Highlands entered the game after dropping back-to-back decisions to Penn Hills and Hampton in which the Rams scored a combined 100 points. They were eager to get back to their style of play after dropping 93, 92, 88 and 82 points in prior wins this season.

Freeport’s first possession lasted nearly two minutes and the ‘Jackets trailed just 12-10 after one quarter.

“We play good half-court defense and it’s just a matter of picking and choosing when to pick up the pace,” said Highlands coach Corey Dotchin.

The Rams (8-2, 1-1) began to do that in the second period, but even more important than their style of play was their efficient shooting. They sank nine of their 14 attempts from the field, receiving field goals from five different players, and led 33-22 at the break.

Freeport (7-4, 0-2) stayed alive into the third quarter thanks in large part to the effort of guard Zach Clark. His conventional 3-point play with 7:12 left in the period cut the Rams’ edge to 33-25.

But getting dominated on the glass (35-13 for the game), coupled with hot shooting from the Rams (33 of 55) spelled doom for the Yellowjackets.

By the end of the third quarter, the hole was 52-37 for the hosts, who did not score their first points of the fourth period until Gavin Croney’s trey with 3:36 remaining.

“We got away from the success we had in the first quarter,” said Devinney. “It’s about mental toughness and once we got down, it was very hard to come back.”

The Rams featured four players scoring in double figures — Cameron Reigard (20), Jimmy Kunst (19), Chandler Thimons (12) and Bradyn Foster (12).

“Last year, we had three guys who averaged in double figures,” said Dotchin. “We’ve talked about the need to have a fourth guy.”

Clark paced Freeport with 14 points, Croney scored 12 and Brady Sullivan 10.

Freeport faces a stiff road test Tuesday at Hampton.

HIGHLANDS 74

Chandler Thimons 6 0-0 12, Jimmy Kunst 9 0-1 19, Landan Signorella 3 0-0 6, Dom Stobert 1 0-0 3, Bradyn Foster 5 2-7 12, Jordyn Tavarez 1 0-0 2, Cameron Reigard 8 2-5 20. Totals: 33 4-13 74.

FREEPORT 47

Zach Clark 5 1-1 14, Ben Lane 2 0-0 4, Parker Lucas 2 0-0 4, Gavin Croney 5 0-0 12, Brady Sullivan 3 2-4 10, CJ Walker 1 0-0 3, Dean Furer 0 0-0 0, Brady Stivenson 0 0-0 0, Gavin Glista 0 0-0 0, Brady Paga 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 3-5 47.

Highlands 12 21 19 22 —74

Freeport 10 12 15 10 — 47

3-point goals: Highlands 4 (Reigard 2, Stobert, Kunst): Freeport 8 (Clark 3, Croney 2, Sullivan 2, Walker).

Tuesday: Freeport at Hampton