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A
very dejected Tri-Village team can only watch as the Patriots fall to
Miami East in Cross
County Conference play Thursday. Miami East beat
the Patriots 46-41. The win put the Lady Vikings
in the drivers seat in
the CCC and the conference title. CNO Photo by Dylan Knoop
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Lady Patriots drop
heartbreaker to Miami East
By George Starks
Sports Editor
NEW MADISON- It was all on the line. The Cross County Conference title
and no better place than ‘The Battleground’. The gym at Tri-Village
lived up to it’s name Thursday night when the Lady Patriots and the
Miami East Vikings waged war.
On a night when bodies were on the ground and a basketball game more
resembled a NASCAR race with the bumping, grinding and swapping of
paint (so to speak), Miami East took sole possession of the CCC with a
46-41 victory over Tri-Village.
It was just a year ago, the Vikings lost a game of this nature at home
with the Patriots. Now the Vikes returned the favor and East coach
Preston Elefritz couldn’t have been happier.
“A year ago, we were losing games like this,” said Elefritz. “Last year
our eight losses came within eight points or under and we didn’t win
close games last year. I asked my kids tonight if they were mature
enough to step up and do that (win a close game). Last year,
Tri-Village did the same thing at our place. This was a physical
basketball game. I was arguing, Brad (Gray) was arguing, kids were
flying all over the place. Sometimes it has to be like that for us to
win. Other times, we can finesse our way through but it was physical
tonight.”
Coming in, the Vikings had one goal and that was to throw Patriots
senior Kayla Linkous off her game.
Miami East did exactly that.
The Vikings held Linkous to 16 points on the night with just 40 percent
shooting (4 of 10) from the foul line.
“She is the best we will see all year in the post position,” remarked
Elefritz. “She has earned the right for us to respect her and we have
the utmost respect for her. This team is loaded though. We contained
Linkous but behind her you have Shaye (Thomas) and the likes of Teha
(Richards) who can dribble drive in the paint and then she kicks it out
to Lexi Bruner who can hit a three or kick it to Falknor (Krystal) who
can hit a three so this team is the total package and for us to come in
here and do this, I wish the best for this bunch. They’ve got to the
regional finals twice, they just need to punch one on through.”
Up 15-8 after one and 23-16 at the break, Miami East had the Pats right
where it wanted them but Elefritz knew his kids could not let up.
With the score knotted 30-30 with eight minutes left in regulation,
Grey lit a fire under his kids and got them going. The Patriots took
just their second lead of the game at the 4:18 mark of the fourth on a
trey by Bruner.
Tri-Village maintained that lead until the 3:36 mark when the Vikings
were able to grab that lead back when sophomore Trina Current hit in
the paint, giving the Vikings a 35-34 advantage.
A lead the Vikings would never lose.
“This was a hard fought game and we came up on the short end,” said
Grey after the game. “Our stagnant offense was the biggest difference
in this game. We came out unwilling to shoot the ball and when we did
come out and start shooting the ball, it was a little late.”
Even though Grey can’t play the game for his team, he takes credit for
the loss. With Linkous on the line for two shots and the Patriots
holding a one point lead with 4:02 left to play.
“It was my stupid decision not to call a time out when Kayla was
shooting those fouls shots,” Grey stated. “My assistants were telling
me to call time and let her get her legs back and I wanted to wait
until after she shot them. Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I would have
called time. I made some bone headed decisions tonight that I can’t
take back. This loss rests on my shoulders and I have to take
responsibility for it. I have to tell my kids this was loss mine and
we, as a team, have to take it like a team.”
Tri-Village will play again Monday at home with National Trail in a
non-conference game.
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