Third Time Not So Charming For Lady Spartans
Springboro, OH (February 16, 2005)— Before the game assistant coach Russ Wallace commented that "rebounding will be the key to the game. We can't let them get those second and third shots"
Unfortunately the Spartans just couldn't seem to get tall enough and the Bellbrook Eagles took advantage on the offensive boards, sometimes getting three or four tries, downing Valley View in round two of the Divsion II tournament, 58-40.
An 11-0 run in the first period was all the Bellbrook Eagles (17-5) needed to psyche out the Valley View Spartans enroute to their third victory in as many tries this season. The Spartans traded baskets for the for the first 5 minutes before a series of Eagle steals and Spartan turnovers took Valley View out of the game.
"We just had too many turnovers in the first half," noted head Coach Steve Dickson. "We couldn't get back the floor fast enough."
But it was the double-threat of junior forward Lynzee Johnson (26 points) and freshman guard Jana Gross (13 points) that undid the Spartans game plan.
They just came at us a 1-2 punch. We would tried to protect inside against Lynzee (Johnson) and then Gross would hit a flurry from the outside. Then Lynzee would come at us from the inside while we were trying to stop Gross. They were just a better team than us tonight."
But this 2004-05 team was a better team than last season, albeit by one game, and they did it without the aid of anyone one standout player as in year's past.
"I'm proud of this team and their record (13-8) and I think the girls are too," Dickson noted. "We see only bright thing for the future of our program."
And he should. A freshman team that won the league tournament and going undefeated in the process. A JV team that lost only one game. Dickson has a very bright future ahead for him and his teams.
"We're going to take a couple of months off before we start working again. There will be team camps and summer leagues. Before you know it we'll be right back here for tournament time. I can't wait."
I'm sure most Spartans fans would agree. We can't wait either.
| Valley View | 10 | 16 | 28 | 40 |
| Bellbrook | 20 | 33 | 47 | 58 |
Scoring: Moore 8, Powers 7, Tipton 6, Kerns 6, S. Smith 3, Ritze 3, Hanahan 3, Barker 3, Hogg 1
