PENDLETON — Just as it started the regular season, Pendleton Heights started its Hoosier Heritage Conference schedule with a win.

At home against Mt. Vernon on Friday, the Arabians beat the Marauders 59-49 in the league opener for both squads.

“I think it’s huge, especially against a rival and especially against a team like Mt. Vernon, who I think could be one of the favorites to win it,” Pendleton Heights coach Kevin Bates said about the HHC victory. “Our conference is very balanced. On any given night anybody can beat anybody. To hold serve at home is going to be real big in the conference, and we were able to do that against a really good team.”

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The Arabians scored the first seven points of the game, but the Marauders answered with the next 10. At the end of the first quarter, Pendleton Heights had battled back to lead 15-12 and led the rest of the way.

Mt. Vernon seemed to have a decent handle on Pendleton Heights’ top scorer, Tristan Ross. The 6-foot-6 senior — two inches taller than any Marauder that saw significant minutes on Friday — came in averaging 16.7 points and 16.7 rebounds per game, including a school-record 22 rebounds in his team’s season-opening 66-59 win at Anderson.

Ross hit just 5-of-16 shots and had 15 points, but the Arabians made up for it with some dead-eye shooting from long range.

Pendleton Heights guards Davrick Black and Jamison Dunham each went 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Black, a junior, had a game-high 24 points. Dunham, a sophomore, scored 16.

“They were (big tonight),” Bates said of his perimeter shooters. “If those guys can continue to do that, it’s just going to open up Tristan so much more with his isolations. When he got isolated, especially down the stretch, he made some big-time plays to put us in position to win.”

The Arabians led by four points, 25-21, at halftime. Mt. Vernon scored on its first two second-half possessions, but its two-point field goals were quickly answered by a pair of 3-pointers, one each from Dunham and Black.

After Ross hit a free throw and Dunham nailed another from downtown, the Arabians had turned a nip-and-tuck game into a 10-point lead, 35-25.

Pendleton Heights led by as much as 11. Mt. Vernon cut it to five in the fourth quarter, getting some impressive work on the offensive end from Amhad Jarrard and Drew Walker.

Walker drained a 3-pointer to cut it to 43-35. Jarrard missed a pair of free throws, but he was able to get the loose ball rebound, score, go to the line and convert a 3-point play. With 5:29 remaining, the Arabians’ margin had been cut to five, 43-38.

As Bates mentioned, Ross was able to do some things late after his perimeter shooters hit their marks. Ross had two fourth-quarter field goals, the only period in which he made multiple buckets. It helped put the game away, giving the Arabians a 1-0 record in the HHC.

“It is very big win. We lost to Mt. Vernon last year in a close game. We just came together this game and got the (win),” Black said.

“From a player stand-point it’s always fun to beat your rival,” Ross said. “As a football player, it stung to lose to them in the sectional final, but to come back and beat them in a big conference game is great. Our younger guys played great down the stretch and I think we controlled the game throughout the second half. It was a great win.”

On Saturday, at home, the Arabians had another big challenge, but they came up just short against undefeated Connersville, losing 46-44.

The Arabians fell to 2-3 overall on the season. The Spartans are 5-0.

For Pendleton Heights, Black led the way for the second-straight night; he scored 19 points. Dunham followed with 11. Ross had 6. Luke Candiano, who had nine rebounds in the win versus Mt. Vernon, and Kamden Earley each scored 4 points.

Pendleton Heights was scheduled to play host to Guerin Catholic on Tuesday (Dec. 17). It travels to University on Saturday. The 2019 portion of the schedule ends Dec. 30 at Hamilton Southeastern. The Arabians return to HHC play Jan. 17 at New Palestine.