by JACOB MEREDITH / sportingpumpkin.com
GROVE CITY — Teays Valley slowed down Central Crossing after halftime to defeat the host Comets 52-41 behind a big performance from Kole Nungester.
Nungester connected on six of seven three-point attempts on the way to a 22-point night.
The Comets would look to control the pace early in this non-league match.
“The OCC is a meat grinder every night and they came out strong and I give them credit,” TV coach Brian Barnett said.
A basket by Sam Miller plus a Brody Fields jumper and three consecutive Nungester splashes from behind the arc gave the Vikings 13-11 lead after one quarter.
“In the first quarter, they tried bringing the game to us and, after the period ended, we had to adjust because they had us on our heels,” Barnett said.
The second quarter saw only five shot attempts from the Vikings.
Miller hit for two and Nungester hit another three. Burgett and Fields combined to hit three of four free throws to end the quarter.
The Comets outscored the Vikings in the second 17-8 going 7-13 from the field and led 28-21.
“It just seemed like every bump, every hit, every knock was going their way in the second, and at half we knew had to adjust some things” said Barnett.
A Nungester three opened the scoring for the Vikings after the half and TV outscored the Comets 15-5 in the third for a 36-33 lead.
“After half was big for us, we talked about being more physical and tougher and taking care of the basketball, and in the second half we did a better job of taking care of the basketball,” Barnett said.
The Vikings opened the scoring in the fourth with a Fields jumper and a Nungester three. The Vikings finished out the game converting eight of 10 free throws around a three from Fields.
Fields paced the Vikings with 16 points.
Kent Hairston led Central Crossing with 13 points.
Teays Valley 52, Central Crossing 41
Teays Valley — Kole Nungester 6-4-22, Brody Fields 5-4-16, Luke Burgett 0-2-2, Kaden Purdon 0-3-3, Sam Miller 3-2-9. Three-point goals — Nungester (6), Fields (2), Miller. Total — 14-15-52.
Central Crossing— JD Laws 4-0-8, Nate Thompson 4-1-9, Kent Hairston 5-3-13, Robert Taylor 1-0-2, Luke White 3-0-9. Three-point goals — White (3). Total — 17-4-41.
Quarter scores 1 2 3 4 F
Teays Valley 13 8 15 16 52
Central Crossing 11 17 5 8 41
