Lady Raiders defensive effort dooms Spencer County

The Trimble County Lady Raiders bounced back strong from an overtime loss earlier in the week to claim a dominating 67-40 win on the road at Spencer County Saturday.

Dave Taylor

Trimble senior Chloe Griffith eyes the basket during last week's battle at home with Walton-Verona. Griffith draws frequent praise from Head Coach Kerrie Stewart for her aggressive hustle and consistent effort for the Lady Raiders. Griffith scored 14 points in Trimble's win over Spencer County on Saturday and nine points in the Lady Raiders' overtime loss to Walton-Verona on Wednesday.

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“We got a good win Saturday,” Trimble Coach Kerrie Stewart said by telephone Monday. “During the first half it was fairly tight but we started playing well in the second quarter.”

Trimble led 12-10 after the first eight minutes of play from outscored their hosts 20-13 during the second period to take a 32-23 lead to the halftime lockers. Trimble’s offensive barrage continued in the third quarter as the Lady Raiders outscored Spencer 20-5 and 15-12 in the final frame.

“Our defense led to the offensive effort,” Stewart said. “The defensive plays, especially by Kaylee Clifford led them to make some turnovers and we were able to get some fast break layups at the other end. Kaylee played some great on-ball defense. The defensive effort helped build our confidence.”

A combined defensive effort by Mila Consley, Jessica Ball and Chloe Griffith held the Lady Bears’ leading scorer Mackenzie Myers to 14 points in the game. Myers, a junior, had scored 27, 27 and 31 points in the Lady Bears’ preceding three games.

“Chloe was playing outsized but she came up with a strong defensive and rebounding performance,” Stewart said.

“Paige Black had an outstanding game. She scored 30 points, including four threes,” the coach said. Griffith added 14 for the Lady Raiders.

The loss dropped Spencer’s record to 6-9 on the year. Trimble, now 6-7, faces Eminence in the first round of the Class A Eighth Regional tournament at Eminence beginning at 6 p.m. tonight. Should the Lady Raiders win tonight they would play the winner of tonight’s second game between Owen County and Walton-Verona at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Trimble falls in overtime

The Lady Raiders opened the 2013 portion of the current basketball season at home against Walton-Verona on Wednesday, Jan. 7. Trimble led 38-35 with 2:36 left to play in regulation and after trading baskets with the Lady Bearcats pulled ahead 40-37 on a basket by Chloe Griffith little more than a minute left to play. Trimble forced a Bearcat turnover and Paige Black was fouled. Black missed the front end of one-and-a-bonus free throw situation, Walton rebounded and got the ball into the hands of senior guard Molly Clinkinbeard who nailed a three from downtown with 14.7 seconds remaining to knot the score at 40-40. Trimble failed to score on their last possession sending the game into overtime.

The Lady Bearcats dominated the overtime period 10-2 to take home a 50-42 win.

“We know they’re one of the strongest teams in the region but we had them beat and we should have finished it and we didn’t,” Trimble Coach Kerrie Stewart said following the game. “We had that lead near the end of regulation. We had taken a time out. We had told the kids what we wanted done. We took a couple of shots that any other time during the game were good shots, but not at that time. We didn’t listen very well there. We missed some free throws down the stretch and then Clinkenbeard hit the only shot that she had for the entire night and that’s enough to put them into overtime. All the momentum kind of shifted in their direction at that point.”

Walton-Verona had three offensive rebounds during the extra period giving the Lady Bearcats second and third scoring opportunities.

“All we had to do was block out there,” Stewart said. “I know we had a little smaller lineup in at the time but we felt like that was our best offensive lineup and we felt like it was working well to that point. You put a body on somebody and you get a rebound. It’s the basics of basketball and we got away from it down the stretch and it cost us a game that we could have won.”

Walton-Verona out-pointed the Lady Raiders 16-9 in the first quarter of play. Trimble outscored the Lady Bearcats 16-4 in the second period. Walton-Verona turned the tables by outscoring Trimble 13-4 in the third quarter and held a 33-29 advantage going into the final eight minutes of play.

Walton freshman Hailey Ison led all scorers with 18 points in the contest while senior Michele Judy added 12 points for the Lady Bearcats.

Scoring for the Lady Raiders were Paige Black 10, Chloe Griffith 9, Kaylee Clifford 8, Jessica Ball and Erin Gonterman both had five points, Mila Consley four and Jessie Dunlap added a free throw.

“Chloe has been so consistent for us this year, not only in the way she’s playing but in the effort she gives every single play every single possession,” Stewart said. “If we can get everybody on board with that same type of effort we could be a team to be reckoned with. I’m sure the kids think they’re working hard and they think they’re giving effort but some of them are capable of more than they realize and it’s time that they step up and start playing to their full potential.”

The coach also had words of praise for senior forward Jessica Ball who missed the three games of the Burgin Invitational after suffering an injury in the Dec. 21 game with Western Hills at home.

“JBall gave us great minutes actually, a solid job defensively,” Stewart said. “I think she was two for two from the field—one of them on a nice move against the Judy girl. I was very pleased with her effort tonight. I hope we’ll see more of that as we go along.”

With the win Walton-Verona improved to 10-5, Trimble dropped to 5-7.