One was that smothering the opposition with high-pressure defense usually worked.

And two was burying pretty well every 3-pointer was rarely a bad idea.

The Hawks (9-3, 9-0 IVC) allowed the Pirates (10-3, 8-2 IVC) to shoot just 11-of-35 from the floor, rarely allowing open looks. And on offense they hit eight treys including a 6-of-9 effort in a first half that saw them make more 3s than they had misses.

The Pirates were able to keep Jena Stutzman from shooting the lights out, but watched as six different Hawks connected from downtown.

"That was one of the better team wins we've had the last couple years," Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said. "Jena had just seven (points). She played well but they did a nice job on her."

Hiland saw five players score five or more. Lydia Miller tallied 10 to lead the way and seemingly every player was having a good game. Freshman Hilary Weaver tallied nine and Karli Mast put up eight.

It didn't hurt that freshmen Katelyn Stuckey and Jessica Stutzman did a pretty solid job of bird-dogging Pirates' All-Ohioan Laura Bardall.

The Garaway junior finished with 16, but she shot just 6-of-17 from the floor and scored 13 of her points when Hiland was leading by double digits.

It helped that the Hawks were coming off a pair of titanic games at the Classic in the Country in which they lost to Wadsworth (No. 1, Div. I) and Lakota West (No. 2, Div. I).

"That's what good competition can do," Schlabach said. "We found out that Katelyn and Jess can guard bigger, quicker guards. The team definitely got better from that.

"When you're playing great competition, you can learn a lot about yourself, and we learned a lot over the last five days.

And the Hawks knew they had another big one in Garaway, essentially the only team in the IVC with a chance at beating the Hawks and vice versa.

Hiland beat Garaway 44-38 to start the season in its only win decided by less than 31 points.

But this time around, the Hawks -- or rather the Hawks' shooting -- made sure it would be more lopsided than expected.

Hiland made just four shots in the first quarter, but each of them were from long range.

With the game tied at three, Jena Stutzman dribbled at the top of the key, found no one open and fired one up and in from outside the arc. Less than a minute later, Stuckey found post Kristi Yoder a the top of the key for a 3-ball and she duplicated the feat with 55 seconds left, this time hitting Layla Miller to give them a 12-5 lead.

After a couple more deep balls in the second quarter and a 1-of-8 effort from the field for Garaway, the Hawks found themselves up a dozen going into the locker room and in control of the game.

The Pirates never cut the lead to single digits again.

"We always try to take care of the basketball and protect the backside on defense," Garaway coach Scott Bardall said. "They're the one team we'll play all year that will take a pull-up 3 every opportunity they get."

Not only did the Pirates draw the two-time defending state champions, they drew the champs when they had the hot hand.

"We put in a great effort with our rebounds and defense and I'm sure (Schlabach) would say the same about his team," Bardall said. "But they hit their shots and that's why they get to go home a winner."

It came as a bit of a surprise considering the Hawks came in hitting just 27 percent from beyond the arc.

"We haven't been shooting the ball well from 3 all year," Schlabach said. "And now all of a sudden over the past week the kids are getting confidence."

And that can't be good news for future Hiland opponents. It certainly wasn't for Garaway.