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Tri-Village
senior Kyle Pipenger score 32 Tuesday at Twin Valley South
as the Patriots
rolled to a 52-32 CCC victory over the Panthers. CNO
file photo by Dylan Knoop
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Patriots pound
Panthers
T-V still perfect
By George Starks
WEST ALEXANDRIA- Despite kids battling the flu virus at Tri-Village, it
never seemed a affect senior Kyle Pipenger Tuesday.
The Patriots drove into West Alexandria to do battle with the Panthers
and Pipenger put the whole team on his shoulders and carried them.
While the Panthers scored 33 points as a team, Pipenger scored 32 by
himself as Tri-Village cruised to a 52-33 Cross County Conference
victory.
With the Patriots holding a 17-8 lead after one and a 23-19 advantage
at the break, Pipenger had already scored 15 first quarter points and
21 by the break with the other two points coming from Andrew Wilcox
late in the opening eight minutes.
I’ve been around a long time,” said Patriots assistant coach Nick
Sagester. “Kyle Pipenger is one of the top five best players I’ve ever
seen. He is one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever seen. When he
goes out and scores 32 points and is always looking for his open
teammates on the floor, that is being unselfish.”
The second half saw two more Patriots get in to the offensive act.
Seniors Shade Brubaker and Matthew Werner finished with 10 and seven
points respectfully, all in the second half.
On defense, Wilcox held Panthers sharpshooter, junior Michael
Green to just eight points.
While the three Patriots scored a combined 20 points, its defense that
makes them shine.
“Green is an outstanding inside player,” said Sagester. “Andrew (6-7)
bothered him because he’s so active down underneath. Our team has great
chemistry. Most people think it’s offensively but on defense, we know
where people are going to be. It’s team defense that makes us so good.
Matthew puts so much pressure on the other guards and creates
turnovers. He has a great basketball IQ. He knows his role and goes in
to every game knowing what’s expected of him. When a team has to start
their offense from 25-30 feet out, they’re in for a long night.”
With Pipenger holding all but two of the Patriots points at the break,
the emphasis was others needed to get involved.
“We had to have more offense from the rest of the guys. Tyler Cook
(6-6) was having his problems with Green on him,” said Sagester. “It
really wasn’t his night. He’s had three great games and I think he was
a little tired offensively and the other guys picked it up. We have
other guys that can pick it up.”
Now 17-0, the Patriots have five more games remaining with two being
CCC games. Friday, the Patriots will entertain Ansonia in one of the
conference games with Newton, February 15 on the road.
The Tri-Village junior varsity squeaked out a 45-37 victory.
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