New Madison, OH, January 9, 2008
By Doug Frazier


The Tri-Village Lady Patriots were looking to rebound from a stinging loss to Franklin Monroe in their last outing. The Mississinawa Valley Lady Blackhawk’s were coming to the Battleground in the midst of a struggling season, but they have been playing better and the Pat’s would not take them lightly.

The Blackhawk’s control the tip, but are unable to convert the possession as Tri-Village comes at them with a strong man-to-man defense. Mississinawa opens with a zone defense packed tightly in side the arc. The Pat’s have trouble finding an effective offense as well. Both teams either come away with a missed shot or turn the ball over on their first three possessions.

The Hawks break the goose egg by sending Harmeson to line to collect one of two. After TV turns the ball over, Mississinawa finds Harmeson for a lay-up on an inbounds play and moved ahead 0-3. Amelia Frazier gets the Patriot offense started with a long two pointer as she toes the arc and it’s 2-3. The Lady Hawks turn it over and Tina Allison draws the foul on a put back, she hits one of two and the score is tied at 3 all. King answers with a deep jump shot and the Hawks are back in the lead 3-5. TV turns the ball over again, but Mississinawa cannot convert. Coach Gray takes a timeout with 2:28 in the opening quarter. On the possession following the timeout, Hillary Frech makes a nice pass inside to Tina Allison to bring it even again at 5-5. Tina Allison gets a nice block out of bounds with thirteen ticks remaining, the Pat’s have a letdown with six seconds to go when they don’t box out on a shot and the Lady Blackhawk’s put it back to go to the first break leading 5-7.

On the Patriot’s first possession of the second quarter, Kaila Burns fakes a three and pulls up for a twelve foot jumper to start a run for the home team. Frazier gets a steal and outlets to Burns who finds Fisherback for a lay-up and one. Jordyn misses the free throw but Tina Allison gets the board and puts it in for a four point lead 11-7. Erin Bundy finds Fisherback coming across the lane inside and she goes to the line and converts one of two. Jordyn Fisherback draws the foul again as goes to the hole in transition, this time she hits them both as she starts to find her rhythm. The Hawks take a timeout to regroup at 5:34. Mississinawa turns the ball over when time resumes and Burns finds Fisherback inside and TV moves ahead 16-7. After coming out so strong the Patriots struggled the rest of the quarter with turning the ball over and missing another box out as the Lady Blackhawk’s put together a 7-0 run to pull within two at the break.


Offense was hard to come by as the game resumes, at 6:30 Kaila Burns starts the Pat’s with a three and it’s 19-14. Beanblossom hits a fade away jumper to keep the Hawks within three 19-16. Jordyn Fisherback goes strong again and draws the foul, one of two and it’s 20-16. Burns fakes the long-ball again and finds a ten foot jumper. Erin Bundy finds Allison on the backside and the lead extends to eight 24-16 and Mississinawa calls a timeout. Jordyn Fisherback is fouled again in transition and adds one more. The Blackhawk's would get another offensive rebound and put back to stay within seven as the third quarter ends 25-18.

Burns opens the quarter with a jumper again to push the scoreboard to 27-18. Beanblossom answers with a jumper of her own for a 27-20 tally. Kaila Burns an answer for that as she drains a three forcing Mississinawa to take a timeout trailing by ten 30-20. With 5:29 remaining play resumes, after a Hawk turnover Fisherback finds Bundy on the backside for a lay-up. Harmeson hits a trey to keep the Hawks within nine 32-23. The Lady Patriots would add four charity tosses to finish the scoring for a 36-23 victory.

In a post game interview with The Greenville Daily Advocate’s Rick Stivers, Coach Brad Gray had this to say. “We were sluggish in the first half, we really struggled against the zone defense. We have worked on a new offense for the zone, but I was reluctant to use it since we just learned it. About midway through the third quarter we ran it and executed it very well, you’ll be seeing it more the rest of the season.” When asked about the way his team opened the second quarter so strong but allowed the Blackhawk’s to close the quarter with a 7-0 run he answered, “Jordyn Fisheback was sick and not 100 % tonight so we tried to rest her more. She came out (of the game) right before the run happened for Mississinawa. We talked at halftime about how we cannot let down because one of the starters comes out of the game, we are a team. I thought Shawnda Stamps stepped up in the second half and our intensity was much better.”

The Lady Patriots travel to Brookville for a no conference battle on Monday.

Scoring by Quarters:
Tri-Village….05…11…09…11 – 36
Miss Valley…07…07…04…05 – 23

Tri-Village (10-5, 7-3)
Tina Allison 09
Erin Bundy 02
Kaila Burns 12
Jordyn Fisherback 09
Amelia Frazier 04
Total 36

Miss Valley (3-11, 2-7)
Beanblossom 06
Harnesom 12
Keen 02
LeMaster 02
Saintignon 01
Totals 23