By Don McDermott – Sports Editor The Daily Advocate
New Madison – It’s not quite Team Excitement, but the Tri-Village High School basketball-playing boys are on the move again.
In a battle between Cross County Conference title contenders, undefeated Tri-Village emerged with a 71-63 victory over previously unbeaten Pleasant Hill Newton Friday night before a capacity crowd in the Patriots’ gym here.
Tri-Village winner of 26 consecutive regular-season games, including 20 in 1989-90 when the Patriots were nicknamed ‘Team Excitement’, is 3-0 – 2-0 in the conference. The Indians came to New Madison averaging a sizzling 105.5 points per game, based on their 97-62 and 114-66 romps over Bradford and Tri-County North, respectively.
The Indians, however, couldn’t solve Tri-Village’s man-to-man half-court defense in the first period, falling behind 11-0 in the first 3:38 and forcing them to play catch-up throughout the rough-and-tumble contest.
“Tri-Village is a much better defensive team than it was last season,” said Jeff Stevenson, the Newton coach. “Their man-to-man is quicker and tougher. We just weren’t able to penetrate like we have been.”
“We’re not quite there yet, but we’re getting there,” said Lee Falknor, the Tri-Village coach. “This was a big win for us…a conference win. The game plan was to get Newton to play our tempo, not theirs. Against Bradford and TC North, they ran the floor pretty well.”
Pleasant Hill had only one fast-break basket against the Patriots, who had problems only with Bruce Murray, who scored 33 points, a record individual performance for an opposing player in the year-old T-V gym.
Murray, like Nate Lindamood a former Arcanum student, scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, hitting 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line. But the effort was in vain, because Tri-Village’s proficiency from the foul line.
The Patriots popped in 10 of 14 foul shots, with Nate Lindamood going 6-for-6 and Dirk Lewis 3-for-5. Tri-Village took only five shots from the field in the final period, hitting two – both by Randy Ward.
Dirk Lewis just missed a quadruple double, finishing with 17 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds – and 11 turnovers.
“Too many,” said Falknor, “but Dirk did settle down in the second half. He had nine of those turnovers in the first half, but part of that was because our guys weren’t where they were supposed to be. The pass was to the right spot, but our player would be behind the defender. Our offense is just missing getting it together, but it will get there.
“That’s one nice thing about playing just once each week at first,” said Falknor. “We play one game, then have a chance to practice…to work on the problems. Next week, though, we start the double game weekends.” The Patriots entertain conference rival Tri-County North Friday and travel to Versailles on Saturday.
Lindamood scored 20 points, while Scoob Cook, who helped the Patriots dominate the battle of the boards, had 13.
Scoring
Tri-Village……..20……17……18…..16 – 71
Newton………….10……20……14…..19 – 63
Tri-Village
Bietry - 7
Lewis - 8
Ward - 17
Fisherback - 4
Brandon - 2
Lindamood - 20
Cook - 13
Totals - 71
Newton
Smith - 16
Williams - 2
Cozad - 6
Murray - 33
Sheridan - 4
Bissett - 2
Totals - 63
|
|
|
|
| 1990-91 State Runner-up 27-1 |
|
|
Untitled Page
|
|
