PITSBURG – An early season showdown featured runs with visiting Tri-Village getting the last one to propel the Lady Patriots to a 35-29 win over Franklin Monroe in the first Cross County Conference game of the year.
The Patriots jumped out to an early 8-0 lead with junior Emma Printz connecting on two triples while also holding the Jets in check.
FM finally got on the board at the 2:34 mark in the first quarter on what would be consecutive layups by Audrey Cable generated off two turnovers from the Jets’ full-court pressure.
They would add 12 more unanswered points in the second quarter for a 16-0 run aided by two Chloe Brumbaugh triples and one by Kennedy Morris in the run.
Tri-Village finally broke the run on a free throw by Emma Printz at the 3:45 mark, going nearly eight minutes without scoring, extending all the way back into the first quarter.
Over the next four minutes the Patriots held FM scoreless while adding a field goal at the buzzer from Autaum Moore, their first in 12 minutes to trail 16-13 at the half.
Tri-Village asserted itself in the third quarter by being selective in the half court, trying to find match-up weaknesses. Trisa Porter scored 4 points early to get the Patriots rolling, and Emma Printz and Maddie Downing both added 4 points each. Porter’s trey then gave the PATS a 28-21 lead at the end of the third quarter.
“It was a game of runs,” Tri-Village girls basketball coach Brad Gray said. “We go up 8-0, and then they went on a 16-0 run, and then we finished the first half on a 5-0 run and opened up the second half with a little run in the third quarter to get back in control.
“Trisa Porter had a nice third quarter for us and is a confidence kid. I think early in the game she had a couple of turnovers and for whatever reason her confidence was shaken a bit. She got reengaged and we love having her at the high post area where she can make decisions not only because of her ability to pass but as a threat to knock down that 15-foot shot or get by you off the dribble,” Gray said.
“After going on that 16-0 run, we struggled late in the first half putting the ball in the hole and unfortunately it carried over into the third quarter,” FM coach Abbey Moore said.
In the final stanza Audrey Cable tried her best to dent the TV 2-1-2 zone by being aggressive and attacking the seams, scoring 6 points, 11 overall to lead the Jets … but it wasn’t enough to get them over the hump.
Tri-Village’s Printz would knock down a big triple on her way to a game-high 14 points to lead all scorers, giving the Patriots a 35-27 lead with just under two minutes to go. Tri-Village held off the home team to win it 35-29.
“That was a big shot at the time,” Gray said. “It was a bad shot and probably not the best shot for us take in that situation … but fortunately for Emma she knocked it down, and it gave us a nice cushion at that point in the game.
“Defensively, Maddie Downing’s presence in the paint was phenomenal. Anything she gives us offensively is a bonus, but primarily it’s her defense we need, and I think she bothered their big rushing shots, taking some away, along with some blocked shots,” Gray added.
“We’re disappointed,” Moore said. “We know we can play with anyone. We really wanted this one tonight, and we were right there … we just couldn’t pull it out in the second half.
“Our motto has been defense, defense, defense, and it paid dividends in the first half. We didn’t get those same easy opportunities on offense in the second half we hoped our defense would give us, and that’s our game,” Moore said.
Watching these two teams at times was like looking in the mirror both teams have quick athletic guards, both aggressive on defense, both have a 6-foot girl who can score in the post and defend the rim and both start four sophomores and a junior, so the future is bright for both teams.
“We are going to get better by growing as a team, all of us getting on the same page, and we are looking forward to what the future holds,” Moore concluded.
For Tri-Village, it keeps a conference win streak alive that dates back to January 2014 as the last time they’ve lost a CCC game.
“We don’t think about it,” Gray said. “we got our work cut out for us this year. Hopefully we can keep winning conference games. Our motto this year is win the next one, take it one game at a time. Up next is Mississinawa Valley, and we’re glad to have a week to work and prepare to keep getting better,” Gray concluded.
Box score:
Score by quarters
FM … 04 … 12 … 05 … 08 – 29
TV …. 08 … 05 … 15 … 07 – 35
Individual scoring
Franklin Monroe – Chloe Brumbaugh 6, Corina Conley 8, Kennedy Morris 4, Audrey Cable 11, Totals – 3-8-4/6 – 29
Tri-Village – Autaum Moore 2, Emma Printz 14, Trisa Porter 9, Lissa Siler 2, Maddie Downing 8, Totals – 4-10-3/6 – 35
3-pointers:
FM – 3 (Brumbaugh 2, Morris)
TV – 4 (Printz 3, Porter)
