by JOHN HOWLEY / sportingpumpkin.com
Early foul trouble slowed both teams Friday and it was Circleville finding a way to get it done in the fourth quarter to beat visiting Teays Valley 44-39.
With early foul trouble limiting top players on both sides of the court, defense took center stage in the first half with Circleville up 8-3 after the first quarter and the game tied at 13-13 at the half.
“It was low scoring, but I think we played well defensively. I think we had good shots, too,” Circleville coach Brian Bigam said. “It was a rough flow with the fouls, both teams getting into some foul trouble.”
“The first quarter when (Circleville) got the lead, I just told them to relax and calm down and we were able to tie it up going into halftime,” TV coach Trevor Younkin said. “We just couldn’t get anything going. Obviously, we want to go inside to Kennedy (Younkin) and we just couldn’t get her the ball when there’s one in front of her, two beside her and one behind her.”
Both teams put a few more points on the board in the third and TV ended the quarter on top 26-25. Fouls were still hampering the teams though as Circleville’s Addison Edgington was whistled for her fourth and TV’s Younkin, Alyssa Horsley and Gabrielle Watkins all picked up their fourth fouls during the quarter as well.
The outcome was in doubt for much of the fourth quarter.
A Faith Yancey steal and layup halfway through the period gave Circleville a five-point lead and the Vikings answered with a three-pointer from Cami Robins, a free throw from Younkin and a basket by Watkins to go up 37-36.
Circleville came back with a basket from Maddie Blakeman which was answered by two free throws from Younkin.
Circleville retook the lead with a basket from Edgington with 1:15 on the clock. Then Blakeman sunk a pair of free throws with 37 seconds left.
The Vikings nearly tied the game, but a Watkins three-point attempt went in and out with Circleville getting the rebound. Gabby McConnell and Blakeman each added a free throw for the Tigers in the final 15 seconds to round out the scoring.
“We also missed quite a few free throws in the first half. It was nice at the end to knock those free throws down,” Bigam said. Blakeman hit five of six in the fourth and 11 of 14 for the game in scoring a game-high 15 points.
McConnell added 11 points and Ally Thornsley had nine.
With the foul situation, the teams had some different players make significant contributions.
“I thought Ally Thornsley was huge tonight. She’s been our sixth-man off the bench, I thought she found herself around the basket and had some huge and-ones for us,” Bigam said. “That gave her a chance to play more with Addison being in foul trouble.
“I can’t imagine (Edgington) played much more than 12 to 15 minutes of that game. She sat pretty much the entire first half and lot of the second half.
“Cami Robyns, a freshman, she was able to come in and hit two threes and that’s big,” Younkin said. “Gabrielle Watkins hit two threes and that’s huge for us as well.
“They guarded our other three-point shooters a little bit better, Alyssa and Abby a little bit better. Alyssa did get one three, but she had to work hard for that one.”
Watkins was TV’s leading scorer with 10 points and Robyns and Tessa Horsley each had eight.
While still early in the season, the Tiger win over the defending league champions is a nice boost.
“That’s the defending league champs and they return basically their whole team,” Bigam said. “If we want to accomplish those goals that we talk about day in and day out at practice, you’ve got to be able to beat Teays Valley.
“I told them to enjoy it tonight but it’s essentially a two-game grind every week from here on out.”
It was the second setback for the Vikings in the early part of league play.
“We’re right there. We know we’re a talented team and everybody is going to give us their best,” Younkin said “We’re in a little bit of a hole and now we’ve got to dig out of it.”
The Vikings (2-3, 2-2) take on St. Francis DeSales Saturday at 5 at Ohio Dominican while the Tigers (5-0, 4-0) look to stay unbeaten when they head to Fairfield Union Tuesday night.
Circleville 44, Teays Valley 39
Teays Valley — Gabrielle Watkins 4-0-10, Abby Tier 0-1-1, Cami Robyns 3-0-8, Kennedy Younkin 1-4-6, Alyssa Horsley 2-1-6, Tessa Horsley 1-6-8. Three-point goals — Watkins (2), Robins (2), A Horsley. Total— 11-12-39.
Circleville — Faith Yancey 1-0-2, Maddie Blakeman 2-11-15, Ally Thornsley 4-1-9, Addison Edgington 3-1-7, Gabby McConnell 4-2-11. Three-point goals — McConnell. Total — 14-15-44.
Quarter scores 1 2 3 4 F
Teays Valley 3 10 13 13 30
Circleville 8 5 12 19 44
