NEW MADISON – The Tri-Village Lady Patriots turned in a dominant defensive performance Thursday night, handing visiting Franklin Monroe a 66-11 Western Ohio Athletic Conference loss in varsity girls basketball action.
“They definitely are one of the best teams that we’ll see this season,” said Franklin Monroe coach Carrie Wood. “They are very aggressive defensively, and they make really good defensive reads.”
The opening minutes were slow for both teams before Tai Mize attacked the rim for the game’s first basket at the 5:32 mark of the opening quarter. From there, Tri-Village took complete control, closing the period on a 20-0 run capped by a Sydnee DeLong short jumper at the buzzer.
Six Lady Patriots scored in the first quarter, led by five points apiece from Taytum Gray and Kenna Wilcox, each connecting on a 3-pointer. Mize added two baskets, while DeLong, Alexa Light, and Adalynn Hines each chipped in a bucket.
Franklin Monroe found limited success in the second quarter, scoring six points including an Alivia Addis 3-pointer. Tri-Village’s offense dipped below its season average during the period, adding 11 points, but the Lady Patriots still carried a commanding 31-6 lead into halftime.
“Defensively, I thought it was a game we could have an impact on that end of the floor,” said Tri-Village coach Brad Gray. “We weren’t happy with how we played in the first half, especially the second quarter. It felt like we got lackadaisical and threw passes that aren’t going to work on Saturday. We have to be stronger with the ball in our hands.”
Tri-Village responded emphatically after the break. The Lady Patriots erupted for 26 third-quarter points while holding Franklin Monroe to just one, putting a running clock in play at the 5:25 mark with the scoreboard showing 41-6. The Patriots carried a 57-6 advantage into the final period.
“We got on our kids pretty hard at halftime about how we played,” Gray said. “The third quarter was a really good response. The key with this team is understanding we have to be the best version of ourselves every time we step on the court. Our margin for error isn’t very big if we want to make a long tournament run.”
With the outcome decided, Gray emptied the bench in the fourth quarter, where the teams played to a 9-4 score, sealing the 66-11 conference victory.
“We knew coming into this game that we had to handle their pressure offensively,” Wood said. “They’re a very good defensive team and very well coached. We have to learn to play with that level of aggressiveness and passion.”
Despite the lopsided score, Gray noted perimeter shooting remains an area of focus for the Lady Patriots.
“We’ve had games where we haven’t shot it well and a couple where we’ve looked respectable,” Gray said. “Right now the long ball isn’t falling like we need it to. That’s how we’re built—we’re going to shoot a lot of perimeter shots, and we need them to go in.”
“We don’t have that back-to-the-basket presence,” Gray added. “We don’t have a 6-foot-plus post, so perimeter shooting is critical for us. That’s just who we are.”
Tri-Village placed five players in double figures, led by Mize with 13 points and Wilcox with 12. Three other Lady Patriots finished with 10 points apiece.
“Kenna finally got it going,” Gray said. “She’s an energy-and-effort kid—that’s who she’s always been. Tonight she gave us great energy and put the ball in the basket. If we get that version of her night in and night out, it’s going to make us a lot better.”
BOX SCORE:
TRI-VILLAGE 66, FRANKLIN MONROE 11
TRI-VILLAGE – T. Mize 13, K. Wilcox 12, S. DeLong 10, T. Gray 10, A. Hines 10, A. Light 4, M. Besecker 4, R. Hunt 3 – TOTALS 22 7-8 5 66
FRANKLIN MONROE – C. Nichols 5, A. Addis 3, A. Figel 2, A. Riffle 1 – TOTALS 2 4-10 1 11
3-POINTERS
Tri-Village 5 (T. Gray 2, A. Hines 2, K. Wilcox 10
Franklin Monroe 1 (Addis 1)
SCORE by QUARTERS
20-11-26-09 66 Tri-Village
00-06-01-04 11 Franklin Monroe
