Elizabeth Clark | News Journal
Elizabeth Clark | News Journal
Elizabeth Clark | News Journal
Elizabeth Clark | News Journal
Elizabeth Clark | News Journal
BLANCHESTER — Ali Trovillo made two free throws with 2.4 seconds to play and lifted Blanchester to a 44-42 win over Bethel-Tate Friday night in SBAAC National Division girls basketball.
BHS head coach John Lovin was confident Trovillo would put the Wildcats on top when she stepped to the line.
“She is mentally tough and willing to put in the hard work, extra time,” Lovin said. “There’s nobody on the team I’d rather have going to the line. I knew what she was thinking, nothing but free throw fundamentals.”
Kelley had 17 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocked shots for the Wildcats. Trovillo totaled 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Sandker led all scorers with 24 points.
“We’re super young,” Lovin said. “We didn’t have Tatum (Strange) and Tessa (Potts) so we were missing our first two off the bench.
“When looking at the schedule, we were playing three games in one week. I knew this game was going to be a gut check for us, with our legs without our regular subs.”
Lovin said the Blanchester defense was geared toward keeping the Tigers on the perimeter, where they made just 5 of 32 three-point attempts.
“If they were going to beat us, we were going to make them do it from the outside,” Lovin said.
Blanchester led by as many as 12 on a couple occasions but Bethel-Tate battled back to take the lead 39-38 with 3:47 remaining.
The Wildcats went back up three when Trovillo fed Bella Kelly for an easy two at the 1:07 mark. On the next possession, the Tigers tied the game 42-42 on a three-pointer by Zoey Sandker.
Blanchester had the ball but committed a turnover, one of 30 on the night, giving the Tigers a chance to win the game.
But the Blanchester defense forced a Bethel-Tate turnover as Trovillo came up with the loose ball in the lane. She was fouled and went to the line and calmly sank both free throws.
“We were tired, fatigued,” said Lovin. “That last possession, we knew 33 (Sandker) would take the ball and every single girl came to the ball on that last play. That was a monumental step in the right direction that every girl wanted to (defend) the ball.”
SUMMARY
Dec 6, 2024
@Blanchester High School
Wildcats 44 Tigers 42
BT^6^13^7^16^^42
BL^12^10^14^8^^44
(42) BETHEL-TATE (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Vinson 1-0-0-2 Riddle 2-1-5-10 Schrag 2-1-0-5 Thompson 0-0-1-1 Sandker 9-3-3-24 TOTALS 14-5-9-42
(44) BLANCHESTER (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Elam 3-0-0-6 Lansing 2-1-0-5 Tipton 1-0-3-5 Trovillo 4-0-3-11 Kelly 7-0-3-17 Rice 0-0-0-0 Harris 0-0-0-0 TOTALS 17-1-9-44
FIELD GOALS: BL (17-40) Kelly 7-11 Trovillo 4-7 Elam 3-6; BT (14-70)
3 PT FIELD GOALS: BL (1-4); BT (5-32)
FREE THROWS: BL (9-16) Trovillo 3-4 Kelly 3-6 Tipton 3-4; BT (9-14)
REBOUNDS: B (55) Kelly 14 Trovillo 12 Tipton 7 Elam 6 Lansing 5 Harris 3 Rice 1; BT (29) Thompson 8 Vinson 7
ASSISTS: B (10) Trovillo 3 Tipton 3 Lansing 3 Rice 1; BT (7) Thompson 3 Sandker 2
STEALS: B (8) Elam 2 Lansing 2 Trovillo 2 Tipton 1 Kelly 1; BT (15) Sandker 7 Riddle 3 Schrag 3
BLOCKED SHOTS: B (4) Kelly 4; BT (3)
TURNOVERS: B (30); BT (11)
