by JOHN HOWLEY / sportingpumpkin.com
CHILLICOTHE — Circleville kept from putting a number in the loss column since the season began back on December 1, but that came to an end Wednesday night as the Tigers fell to Sheridan 50-30 in a Southeast District championship game.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Sheridan is extremely good,” Circleville coach Brian Bigam said. “The thing I feared now for essentially nine, 10 games is our lack of depth and Sheridan’s depth and them just wearing us down throughout the game with him subbing in and out.”
A key for the Tigers was trying to slow the game down but Sheridan was able to fight through that, cause some turnovers and shot well from the outside.
After getting out to a 9-7 lead in the first quarter, Sheridan had three three-pointers as part of an 18-point second quarter to grab a 27-16 advantage.
The Generals were 4-6 from the behind the arc in the third as they put the game out of reach in building a 45-21 lead.
Jamisyn Stinson led the Generals with 20 points, including four three-pointers, and seven rebounds while Nora Staffell put in 12 points.
Sheridan finished the night shooting 17-36 from the field (8-19 from three) while Circleville was 12-39 shooting (2-14).
“The Stinson girls is going to (North Florida) for a reason. She’s a heck of a player,” Bigam said. “I’ve been at many a game where that’s normal for Stinson and you’ve got Staffel inside and she’s a bunch to handle and I’m telling you the (Ava) Heller kid has improved so much – they’re just a tough out.”
Sophomore Maddie Blakeman led the Tigers with 15 points. Senior Gabby McConnell grabbed 11 rebounds to go with six points.
Wednesday wraps up an historic season that saw the Tigers run off 24 straight wins — coming together for the last nine after teammate Addison Edgington was seriously injured in a car accident — and winning the league title.
“I told them I’ve coached baseball and basketball for 21 years now and I don’t want to discredit any team I’ve ever coached, but what these girls just did this season, honestly, it’s the most remarkable thing I’ve been a part of as a coach,” Bigam said he told his team after the game. “To continue to win after what happened, to continue to rally around each other, to rally around Addison, to run our league at 14-0, to make it to a district championship against a Sheridan team – it’s one of the most impressive things I’ve been a part of as a coach.”
He said the other focus after the game was on seniors McConnell and Faith Yancey.
“Faith and Gabby – how much they mean to me and to our program and just how much I love them. We’re a big family and I love them and would do anything for them,” Bigam said. “I told them it might be hard to realize now but when they look back, they’ll see numbers on our banner in the gym for the league title and they’ll realize how special what they did was.”
Both Circleville and Sheridan came into the game undefeated with Circleville the No. 2 seed and Sheridan No. 3. They finished the regular season with Sheridan No. 3 in the final AP poll and Circleville No. 4
Sheridan (25-0) advances to a regional semifinal Tuesday against either Carrollton or Steubenville.
Sheridan 50, Circleville 30
Sheridan — Jamisyn Stinson 6-4-20, Halle Warner 1-0-2, Ava Heller 2-0-4, Mylie Forgrave 0-1-1, Payton Powell 3-0-8, Lainey Miller 1-0-2, Nora Staffell 4-3-12. Three-point goals — Stinson (4), Warner, Powell (2), Saffell. Total — 17-36 8-11 50.
Circleville — Faith Yancey 1-1-3, Maddie Blakeman 6-1-15, Isabelle Perini 1-0-2, Ally Thornsley 2-0-4, Gabby McConnell 2-2-6. Three-point goals — Blakeman (2). Total — 12-39 4-5 30.
Quarter scores 1 2 3 4 F
Sheridan 9 18 18 5 50
Circleville 5 11 5 9 30
