Minford junior Lexi Conkel (11)

Courtesy of Erica Fike

MINFORD — With the way the Minford Lady Falcons indeed defend, all offensively that they need is that one quarter of an extra gear.

As the snow started falling, and sticking last Monday night at Minford High School, the Lady Falcons found that gear in the fourth canto —en route to taking over the driver’s seat in the Southern Ohio Conference Division III.

That’s because the Lady Falcons never trailed for the final 10 minutes and 50 seconds, and opened up at least an eight-point advantage over the final two minutes and three tics, en route to capturing a key 42-32 girls basketball victory over the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates at the Falcons’ Nest.

It was a first-place battle in the first-year SOC III —as Minford moved in front by a full game over Wheelersburg and West, with Monday’s matchup marking the Lady Falcons’ first conference contest since that fateful Thursday night, when Maggie Risner rose up and hit Minford’s buzzer-beating game-winner over the visiting Lady Senators.

That put the Lady Falcons in front of West by one full game, as the two teams rematch at The Rock on the West side on Monday (Jan. 29).

While no last-second heroics were necessary this time around, the Lady Falcons locking down on the Lady Pirates was —for five second-period points and four fourth-quarter markers.

Minford moved to 11-3, and to 4-0 in the SOC III, while Wheelersburg fell to 7-5 —and 3-1 in the division.

For the Lady Falcons, defense once again ruled the day —after a slow start.

“Our man-to-man defense was excellent tonight,” said Minford second-year coach Chuck Miller. “We knew that (Wheelersburg point guard Mia) Vastine’s game is penetrate and kick out, the (Jaylinn) Prather girl is a nice shooter, and the (Peyton) May girl is a nice big. Those are the three we were focusing on. In the first quarter, they had everything rocking and rolling. They were really on a roll. Got a lot of easy buckets and shots. We couldn’t keep Vastine out of the lane. But we made adjustments, settled down and played defense like we can. That’s our calling card.”

Miller mentioned, jokingly, “these games are starting to take a toll on me. At the very end.”

But, these Lady Falcons find themselves playing better in the second half.

An 8-1 run over the opening four-and-a-half minutes — with deuces by Lexi Conkel, six-foot and four-inch Lindsee Williams and Risner —made it 29-20, as Conkel connected for a three-point goal with a minute and three seconds to play in the third, giving the Lady Falcons’ their largest lead (32-23) at that point.

“We pride ourselves on being a second-half team. We really do. We really are a solid second-half team,” said Miller. “At halftime, we challenged them. We took what we thought was their best punch. Now let’s settle in and let’s do the things we can. We knew they (Lady Pirates) want to speed the game up and make it hectic. So let’s slow things down, take care of the ball and get good defensive stops. We did really well coming out in the third, and in the fourth quarter we really made things tough on them.”

That fourth quarter was quite critical, especially since junior Marlee Pendleton was ejected with six minutes and five seconds left following a foul call—and the junior point guard Conkel suffered a serious arm injury with only 37 seconds showing.

The Lady Pirates’ fourth-period points were courtesy of five-foot and eight-inch sophomore Jaylinn Prather —a split of free throws following that foul on Pendleton, and a three-pointer that made it 38-32 with only 52 seconds remaining.

Minford, following Williams’ rebound putback only a minute and 10 seconds into the last stanza for her third bucket and sixth and final point, scored four counters between Prather’s points —and again after them.

“Lindsee (Williams) didn’t have a lot of points tonight, but she had double digits in rebounds and she alters shots. She is that goaltender that’s in there that shuts everything out,” said Miller. “Our length is a definite advantage and we don’t get outrebounded very often.”

The Lady Falcons also sank enough free throws — three of four by Risner in the fourth, and 2-of-4 from Conkel in the frame.

The Lady Pirates, on the other hand, missed 10 of 17 foul shots —and combined for just 18 points over the final three quarters, compared to 14 for the first.

After two ties and three first-quarter lead changes, and a fourth and final lead change along with the game’s final tie at 19-19 with 47 seconds left in the second stanza, Wheelersburg came no closer the rest of the way.

Baylee Hammonds had a rebound putback for the Lady Falcons —with 33 seconds left before halftime —and Wheelersburg was never within two points after that.

Wheelersburg veteran coach Dusty Spradlin spoke of his Lady Pirates’ free-throw bugaboo, and inability to score.

The Lady Pirates shot 13 first-half foul shots, converting only five.

“The free throws were probably the most disappointing thing. Especially the first half, we got to the line several times and didn’t cash in on those. I loved our team’s energy and effort and toughness and a lot of things about us, but we just have to find ways to get the ball in the basket,” said Spradlin. “In the second half, we struggled more to get some good shots, and their (Lady Falcons) size presents a lot of problems. Then they are athletic all the way around. I’m pleased with our effort, but we just have to find ways to score. Offensively, we’ve been that way throughout the season. We’ve seen some flashes of some good, but we have quarters like tonight where we struggle to score.”

Risner, with a game-high 13 points, had five field goals through the first three quarters.

Conkel’s nine points all occurred in the second half before her late injury, and sole senior Kynedi Davis drilled three key three-pointers —in the first, second and final salvos.

Davis drilled her first trey on the game’s opening possession, her second from the top of the key gave Minford the lead for good at 19-16, and her third off the wing went for a 37-29 lead with 2:05 remaining.

Minford senior Kynedi Davis (10)

Courtesy of Erica Fike

“Our perimeter shooting is hit and miss, and thank God it was hit tonight. Kyn comes out and splashes that three right off the bat. I knew when she hit that first three with her first shot, she was in for a good night,” said Miller. “Shooting is a confidence thing. That three there in the fourth quarter, that was big because they were climbing back.”

Prather’s final four points made it 34-29 and 38-32, as she scored 10 of the Lady Pirates’ 32 points.

Her first of two triples made it 32-26, as May netted nine first-half tallies —on three baskets and 3-of-5 freebies.

Wheelersburg sophomore Peyton May (33)

Courtesy of Erica Fike

Mia Vastine, the junior point guard, scored eight points through the first three stops —on three deuces and two free throws.

Wheelersburg junior Mia Vastine (2)

Courtesy of Erica Fike

Makenzie Mullens made a two and a three in the third frame — as Vastine’s steal, drive and hoop made it 32-28 at the end of the third.

But the Lady Falcons finished with a 10-4 closing kick, for that one extra gear of a quarter —combined with top-notch solid defense.

“Every time they closed the gap, we extended it back. That’s what good teams do. We’re rounding into a good solid team. This is a very good solid league win,” said Miller. “We’ve been in absolute wars so far in this league, and we’ve been fortunate to come out on top in every one of them.”

* * *

Wheelersburg 14 5 9 4– 32

Minford 13 8 11 10 — 42

WHEELERSBURG 32 (7-5, 3-1 SOC III)

Mia Vastine 3 2-8 8, Mylee Gleim 0 0-0 0, Emma Smith 0 0-0 0, Makenzie Mullens 2 0-0 5, Jaylinn Prather 3 2-4 10, Ava Estep 0 0-0 0, Peyton May 3 3-5 9; TOTALS 11 7-17 32; Three-point goals: 3 (Jaylinn Prather 2, Makenzie Mullens 1)

MINFORD 42 (11-3, 4-0 SOC III)

Lexi Pendleton 0 0-0 0, Maggie Risner 5 3-4 13, Ava Cronin 0 0-0 0, Baylee Hammonds 1 1-2 3, Kynedi Davis 3 0-0 9, Lexi Conkel 3 2-4 9, Lindsee Williams 3 0-0 6, Marlee Pendleton 1 0-2 2; TOTALS 16 6-12 42; Three-point goals: 4 (Kynedi Davis 3, Lexi Conkel 1)

Reach Paul Boggs at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1926, by email at [email protected], or on X @paulboggssports © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved