HOUSTON – Tri-Village was coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss on Saturday at New Bremen in a game the Patriots led by double digits only to let the lead slip away down the stretch.
The Patriots traveled to Houston Monday night for their fourth game in seven days looking to get back on track.
The Patriots got off to a very slow start and spotted the home team four points before scoring at the 4:53 mark on a Danika Mann fielder.
Allie Downing scored the next six points for the Patriots to tie the game at eight apiece with two minutes to go in the opening quarter.
The Patriots then would blitz the Wildcats, scoring the next 10 points, two by Rachel Miller and back-to-back triples by Downing and Emma Printz and a basket by Mann to end the quarter up 18-8.
TV clamped down defensively in the second quarter, holding the Wildcats to just five points while doubling them up with 10 of its own to go up 28-13 at the half.
The Patriots opened the third frame much like the start to the game with Houston scoring six straight points to close the gap to 28-19 … moments later the Wildcats narrowed the lead down to seven before Tri-Village responded.
The Patriots did it with Mann inside on two straight fielders and a triple by Shelbey Dowler from the corner to close the third quarter up 37-23.
In the final stanza Tri-Village erupted for 21 points as the Patriots started to shred the Houston defense with penetration and unselfish passing, resulting in some easy conversion by Mann or finishes by Downing at the rim.
The defense by TV was good, but it was gold in the final period as the Lady Wildcats could only manage four points, and the Patriots garnered a 58-27 win.
“The start of both halves was less than desirable tonight,” Tri-Village girls basketball coach Brad Gray said. “But midway from the third quarter on, we really turned it on.
“It was really good to see Allie Downing have a good game. She was really beating herself up on her performance Saturday (at New Bremen). It wasn’t one of her best games, and she really bounced back well tonight,” Gray said.
“It was also really good to see Emma Printz (six points, two steals) put the ball in the hole and be productive tonight, too, and I hope this will help kick start her for the rest of the season,” Gray added.
“We subbed more tonight than what we have been doing, and I talked to assistant Mike Fisherback, and we know we have to do a better job in getting kids a short rest, get a drink and then get back in … I think that helps us being fresher.
“I was really happy with the way we played offensively tonight, and defensively we did an outstanding job as well,” Gray concluded.
Downing led the Patriots with 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Mann had a double-double on 16 points and 13 rebounds. Dowler and Miller also had four assists each in the win.
The Patriots improve to 6-1 overall and will get a week break before they are back in action, hosting Ansonia Monday in a Cross County Conference game.
Tri-Village’s junior varsity team was a 33-20 winner over Houston as well.
Box score:
Score by quarters:
TV …18 …10 …09 …21 – 58
HO… 08…05 …10 …04 – 27
Individual scores:
Tri-Village (6-1, 3-0)
Rachel Miller 2, Autaum Moore 2, Emma Printz 6, Edie Morris 2, Allie Downing 20, Shelbey Dowler 8, Alana Holsapple 2, Danika Mann 16 – Totals 4-18-10/16 – 58
Houston
Micalah Hensley 4, Jenna Winner 10, Macy Stang 6, Jenna Jarrett 2, Rebekah New 4, Jess Monnier 1 – Totals 0-12-3/7 – 27
3-pointers:
TV – 4 (Dowler 2, Downing 1, Printz 1)
