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Tri-Village
senior Shaye Thomas takes a shot Saturday against Franklin Monroe in
the championship game of the Burkett Tournament. Thomas scored 16
points in the title game and handed out numerous assists to be named
the MVP of the tournament. CNO Photos by Dylan Knoop
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Patriots’ defense creates havoc for FM
Tri-Village retains tourney title
By George Starks
NEW MADISON - The Tri-Village Lady Patriots won their third straight
Bill Burkett championship Saturday with an overwhelming 76-34 victory
over Franklin Monroe.
Led by seniors Teha Richards with 24 points, Shaye Thomas with 16 and
Lexi Bruner with 14 points and 10 rebounds, the Patriots offensive
firepower was more than the Jets could handle.
Couple that with a smothering full court man press and there were
aircraft parts left lying on the floor of the Battleground.
After the Patriots pounding of Ansonia Friday (85-19), T-V coach Brad
Grey said he was sending a message that his kids were going to be the
team to bet in the Cross County Conference.
Saturday night, most thought the Lady Jets would be a good measuring
stick for the 2012 regional champions.
That was far from being true.
“I think both nights we came out of the gates very well,” said Grey.
“Last year, we didn’t always do that. Both nights, in the first two
games of the season, we came out and put the opposition in a hole and
that’s something we’ve got to continue to do.”
It was by virtue of the press that the Patriots put the Jets in a hole
and they did it quickly.
Rarely does a team shut out a team from the field in a quarter. That’s
exactly what the Patriots did on championship night.
With the first eight minutes in the books, the Patriots had a
commanding 23-2 lead with the lone two points coming off foul shots
from Jet senior Haley Grey.
“I think we have two of the better guards in the conference out front
guarding the ball,” Grey stated. “Even when the other team is getting
the ball across half-court, our pressure is still coming at them and it
forces them to speed their game up. That’s who we are and it’s not a
secret.”
Franklin Monroe got its first field goal at the 7:26 mark of the half
on a deuce by Grey.
At that point, the only thing left to be determined was the final
score, short of a Patriots melt down.
At the break, the Pats were up 39-18 and they were basically in cruise
control.
Despite playing two outstanding games, Grey admits there is room for
improvement.
“I think our half-court game could be better,” Grey pointed out. “I’m
nit-picking here but if we broke it down, I don’t think we scored as
often as we could have. Our transition was good but against really good
basketball teams, we better be able to play a better half-court game.”
With the win, the Patriots move to 2-0 on the young season and will
host Newton Thursday night in a CCC contest. Franklin Monroe fell to
1-1 with the loss and will open its portion of the conference schedule
Thursday at the Hangar with Bethel.
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Franklin
Monroe senior Claire Neiswander drives the sideline for the Jets. FM
fell
short in the championship game, dropping a 76-34 decision to the host
Patriots.
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The
All-Tournament team from left to right are Alexis Abner (Arcanum),
Haley Grey and Claire
Neiswander (FM) and Krystal Falknor, Teha Richards and MVP Shaye Thomas
of Tri-Village.
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