West Alexandria, OH, December 20, 2007
By Doug Frazier


Tri Village expected to be tested on this incursion into Preble County to face a surging team in Twin Valley South. South has been on a four game roll, which started when they recently soundly defeated the Lady Jets of Franklin Monroe.

The TVS strategy was apparent from their first possession, pound it inside. Katie McCoy would score the first bucket for the Lady Panthers. Both teams seemed a little tight and that would be the only scoring until Amelia Frazier stole the ball at 4:30 for Tri-Village and threw an assist to Kaila Burns for a 2-2 tie. TVS went inside for scores on their next two trips to lead 6-2.

Tina Allison responded for the Pat’s by finding Jordyn Fisherback inside for a lay-up. Debbie Brubaker muscled her way inside for scores on South’s next two possessions to extend their lead 10-4. Tina Allison closed the quarter for the Lady Patriots with two free throws to draw closer 10-6 in favor of the Panthers.

TV answered South’s first score in the second quarter when Burns fed Allison in transition to make the score 12-8. Voge answered with a trey for South and the Panther lead grew to seven. Jordyn Fisherback hustled for an offensive board and put-back to make it 15-10.

After another South score Tina Allison grabbed her own rebound and drew the foul. She converted both free throws to bring the score to 17-12 TVS. Frazier finds Burns on the wing in transition for a three and it was not just a two-point game. South however pushed their lead back to six scoring on their next two possessions.

Erin Bundy hit the offensive boards and drew a foul sending her to the line connecting on one of two to bring it to 21-16. Frazier made a nice feed inside to Shawnda Stamps for a lay-up and TV trailed 23-18. TV looked to gain momentum when they got a nice steal out of a trap but missed the opportunity… but Voge from South hit an open jumper to push South ahead by seven 25-18. Meanwhile with just a few ticks left on the clock till the half Tina Allison would pick up her second foul.

As the second half commenced both teams once again came out tight. Kaila Burns put up the first points at 6:30 in the quarter with two charity tosses to make it a five-point advantage for South at 25-20.

Ervin answers with two for the Panthers and Fisherback would then head to the line for two to bring it back to five at 27-22. On the Panther’s next possession, Whitney Wysong drove the lane hard and got a nice scoop for two more. Jordyn Fisherback score the next four points for the Lady Pat’s with a trey and a free-throw to once again make it a five point game at 31-26.

The foul at the end of the half bit Tina Allison as she went to the bench with her fourth foul with 2:46 remaining in the quarter. Even then TV seemed to be on a roll but was slapped with a technical for a substitution violation. After a great deal of confusion at the scorers table the free throw and basket off the possession put South is up by eight 34-26. It would be a hole the Patriots would be unable to get out from under. The Patriots traded basked by Fisherback and Ervin with the quarter ending 36-28.

In the final stanza Ervin pushed the lead to ten-points. The Patriots with no choice inserted Tina Allison back into the line-up. She pulls down an offensive board and got the put-back to make it 38-30. Kaila Burns hits a long toss at 5:20 and it looks as if the Patriots have found the momentum again trailed by five-points 38-33. Tina Allison tossed a high low pass into Fisherback and the PATS cut the advantage to just three points.

Whitney hits both ends of a big one and one to bring the Panthers back to a five-point advantage as Coach Mabry calls for a timeout with 2:09 to play. Wysong hits two free throws to push it to 35-42 Panthers, but Fisherback answers inside for the Pat’s bring back to five again. Voge goes to the line for South and makes one of two. Frazier drives the lane and pulls up for a six-foot jump shot and Tri-Village gets a timeout before South can start the inbounds with 1:12 remaining. TV comes out of the break and forces a turnover with a five second call on Twin Valley South as Lady Pat’s hustled to deny the inbounds play. Tri-Village cannot cash in however and South comes away with a rebound, however the Pat’s get another chance as the Panthers give it back on a player control call. The Pat’s once again come away empty and the Lady Panthers close the game with four free throws to make it 47-39 at the final buzzer.

When asked to sum up an obviously anguishing loss, Coach Brad Gray had this to say. “I don't really even know where to begin.  I thought defensively we played our worst game of the season to this point and I am hoping at the end of the season I will still be able to say that this was the worst one.  We gave up to many easy shots and just didn't guard with the aggressiveness that we normally do.  As far as the offense is concerned, we have to do a better job of being strong in the post and drawing fouls.  We are not getting to the foul line enough and getting the other team in foul trouble and we don't have anybody to blame for that but ourselves.  We have to initiate contact instead of shying away from it and put the officials in a position where they have to make a call.”

The Lady Patriots were 13-47 from the field with 27 total rebounds (18 defensive and nine offensive) one bright spot in the game was that the team continues to shoot well from the free-throw line hitting 10 of 12. Amelia Frazier is 21-22 on the year. The Pat’s are now 7-3, 3-2 in the conference.

Scoring by Quarters:
Tri-Village….06…12…10…11 – 39
TV South…..10…15…11…12 – 47

Tri-Village
Tina Allison 08
Erin Bundy 01
Kaila Burns 10
Jordyn Fisherback 16
Amelia Frazier 02
Shawnda Stamps 02
Total 39

TV South
Debbie Brubaker 04
Tayler Creech 02
Kait Ervin 10
Adelee Gates 08
Kate McCoy 06
Megan Newland 02
Lindsey Voge 08
Whitney Wysong 07
Totals 47