SPRINGFIELD – The 2025-2026 season came to an end for an improved Greenville Lady Wave varsity basketball program, falling 37-24 to the Sidney Lady Yellow Jackets in OHSAA Division III tournament play.
Despite the loss, first-year veteran coach Shane Hillard made it clear the final score should not define what his team accomplished this winter.
“We didn’t play well offensively, and that’s part of it,” Hillard said. “It happens, and the good thing is we get a whole summer – we have a lot of returners.”
Hillard emphasized that one tough tournament night should not overshadow a season marked by growth and progress.
“When they talk about this season, I don’t want them to ever talk about this night because this night is just one of those days – it doesn’t show or dictate anything that we have got done this year and the accomplishments that they have made and the strides they have made,” Hillard continued. “Sometimes people want to remember the last thing you did, and I hope that fans don’t do that because these kids accomplished so much this year.”
Greenville opened the game with energy, taking the first quarter 5-2 behind baskets from Megan and Sara Loudy, along with a Makenzie Legenzoff free throw.
Sidney answered in the second period, outscoring the Lady Wave 8-2 to take a 10-7 halftime lead in what was a defensive battle from the opening tip. Neither team connected from beyond the three-point arc.
The third quarter proved pivotal as Sidney went on an 11-5 run while Greenville struggled to find an offensive rhythm. The Lady Jackets carried a 21-12 advantage into the final stanza Greenville made one last push when Jayda Lyons drove to the basket at the 5:34 mark of the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 23-19. Forced to foul in the closing minutes, the Lady Wave saw Sidney convert 10-of-12 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal the 37-24 win and advance in tournament play.
Sidney finished 17-of-24 (70.8 percent) from the free-throw line while Greenville went 8-of-11 (72.7 percent) at the stripe.
The game marked the final varsity appearance for Greenville seniors No. 4 Jayda Lyons and No. 15 Sara Loudy.
“You couldn’t ask for two better kids to lay a foundation of what it looks like – the whole group, but especially the seniors,” Hillard said. “This is the start of something starting to happen. I’m pretty sure we are starting to turn a corner.”
Hillard credited the team’s buy-in to the process as one of the most encouraging developments of the season.
“They fell in love with the game this year, they fell in love with the process,” he said. “They allowed me to push them every day and to hold them to a standard. It’s been a blast. It’s been a great ride.”
Greenville closes the year 10-13 overall and 10-8 in Miami Valley League play, finishing with the fourth-best record among the 10 MVL teams — a significant step forward for the program.
With a strong defensive identity already in place, Hillard is confident the next step will come on the offensive end.
“These girls will not quit,” he said. “Once our basketball skillsets get better and we can be doing some things offensively – defensively we’re fine – the sky is the limit as to what we can do.”
Looking ahead, Hillard has already turned his attention to the offseason.
“We have a big summer planned, a lot of workouts, a lot of games are going to be played,” he said. “I think we’re going to see a big jump offensively next year on top of the defense. I think we make another jump next year. I’m excited. I hate that it’s over, I wasn’t ready for it to be over because they have made it so fun.”
For a Lady Wave program that showed measurable growth throughout the winter, the 2025-26 season may have ended in Springfield — but the upward trajectory appears just to be beginning.
BOX SCORE:
SIDNEY 37, GREENVILLE 24
SIDNEY – Olivia Foy 14, J. Shroyer 7, N. Kennedy 7, P. Hensley 5, A. Shroyer 4 – TOTALS 10 17-24 37
GREENVILLE – J. Lyons 8, M. Loudy 7, S. Loudy 4, A. Baumgardner 2, L. Force 2, M. Legenzoff 1 – TOTALS 8 8-11 0 24
3-POINTERS
Sidney 0
Greenville 0
SCORE by QUARTERS
02-08-11-16 37 Sidney
05-02-05-12 24 Greenville
