Lady Pirates sink 11 3-pointers to put away Lady Vikings

WHEELERSBURG — After shrugging off a slow start, Wheelersburg Lady Pirates used a barrage of 3-pointers and a deep bench to power their way past the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings 62-31 on Monday night in a non-league crossover game between Southern Ohio Conference teams.

"I felt like we got caught watching too much," said Wheelersburg coach Dusty Spradlin. "I thought we were good in spurts. Second half, I thought we were much better energy wise. We just gotta keep trying to get better."

For a while, things looked like a carbon copy of last season's meeting between the two. In that game, the Lady Vikings battled for four quarters and even got within a score late in the fourth before the Lady Pirates escaped Willow Wood with a 38-33 win.

Wheelersburg jumped out to a 13-7 lead after one quarter, getting 10 points from DeHart and a free throw from Artrip.

The Lady Vikings kept pace with a trey from Brenna Tibbs and a basket apiece from Sells and Holbrook.

In the second, the Lady Vikings closed the gap with a layup off a steal and a free throw from Saunders, a pair of free throws from Haydon and a bucket from Sells.

When Saunders hit the front end of a two-shot foul, the Lady Vikings trailed just 20-15 with 4:42 left before halftime.

But that's when the depth and 3-point shooting began to become a factor.

The Lady Pirates closed the half on a 9-2 run, highlighted by two more triples from DeHart to make the score 29-17 at the break.

In the third frame, the Lady Pirates began to take the game over in the back court with their depth and getting pressure on the Symmes Valley ball handlers and forcing 7 turnovers in the period.

"That's what we want. We gotta find ways to send some doubles when we can. Even when we're not doubling, try to use that speed we have and try to pressure people."

Wheelersburg was able to add to their lead in the third, getting 5 points from Artrip and Prather. Peyton May chipped in 5.

Tibbs and Holbrook each had 4 to lead the Lady Vikings during the period.

In the fourth, the Lady Pirates continued to pull away by outscoring Symmes Valley 19-4. Prather caught fire behind the arc with two 3-points to have 8 in the final period. Skeens had 5, including a trey of her own.

The Lady Vikings return home on Wednesday to host Southern and then travel to Minford on Thursday.

Sym. Valley 7 10 10 4 = 33

Wheelersburg 13 16 14 19 = 62

SYMMES VALLEY (0-2): Lydia Saunders 2 0 2-4 6, Alyssa Anthony 0 0 0-0 0, Aly Haydon 1 0 1-1 4,  Brenna Tibbs 2 1 0-2 7, Ev Sells 2 0 0-0 4, Rylie Skaggs 0 0 0-0 0, Chloe Mount 2 0 0-0 4, Addison Berry 1 0 0-0 2, Nevaeh Holbrook 2 0 1-1 6. Totals: 12 1 4-8 33. Rebounds: 8-O. 21-D = 29 (Haydon 9, Tibbs 5, Holbrook 5, Saunders 4). Assists: 3 (Saunders, Tibbs, Haydon). Steals: 11 (Saunders 3, Mount 3). Turnovers: 27. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

WHEELERSBURG (1-1): Callie DeHart 2 5 2-2 21, Tilley 0 0 2-2 2, Ava Artrip 4 1 1-1 12, Chloe Augustin 0 0 0-0 0, Myles Bailey 1 0 0-2 2, L Skeens 1 2 0-0 8, Makenzie Mullens 0 0 0-0 0, E Sexton 0 0 0-0 0, M Copley 0 0 0-0 0, L Hickman 0 0 0-0 0, H Little 0 0 0-0 0, Jaylinn Prather 2 3 0-0 13, Peyton May 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 12 11 5-9 62. Rebounds: 9-O. 16-D = 25 (May 4, Artrip 3, Mullens 3, Skeens 3, Little 3). Assists: 6 (Bailey 2, Artrip 2, DeHart 2). Steals: 14 (Artrip 4, Skeens 3, Prather 2). Turnovers: 27. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.