- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,267,208
- Reaction score
- 59
ORANGE TOWNSHIP - New London coach Eric Mitchell challenged his team at halftime down one at Mapleton with a Firelands Conference championship on the line.
Senior Valery Henry answered the call.
"We went in at halftime and coach gave us the talk — it's time to rise to the occasion — so all of us came out and I was like, somebody's gotta do it," she said. "So I put my best effort in and I think the rest of the girls fed off that energy."
Henry hit a pair of free throws midway through the third quarter that sparked a 29-15 run by the Wildcats over the final 12:19 and steal away a 47-40 win over the Mounties to clinch at least a share of the program's third consecutive league title.
JAKE'S TAKE: Memories of historic Big Red still thick 20 years later
"It was kind of just that power swing for us," Henry said. "We came out and really needed a push to get us going in the third quarter."
She had nine of her team-high 17 in the third quarter along with a pair of assists to Addison Yetter resulting in a 3 as part of a 9-0 run over a 90-second stretch, and a buzzer-beater from just inside the arc.
"I can't say enough about the way Valery Henry stepped up in that third quarter," Mitchell said. "That's memorable stuff, that's the stuff you'll remember. She took over that game and I knew she's had it in her. She plays within herself and she did right there ... it was amazing."
It was New London's 41st consecutive win in Firelands Conference play and couldn't have been in a better environment with Mapleton's gymnasium jam-packed with students and fans.
"It's a testament to what girls basketball can be," Mitchell said. "We're losing girls, and it sucks, I hate seeing that across everywhere. Two quarters of JV is not going to get it done, and you're not going to see development.
"But this was amazing for girls to put this many butts in the stands on a Tuesday night, kudos to the Mapleton and New London fans — it was rockin' in here."
And that atmosphere is what Henry fed off in the second half.
"I love when the gym's packed, it's electric," she said. "I love it for our Firelands Conference, my team has been lucky enough to play in (a few) games like this. Freshman year we played against Western Reserve in a packed gym, sophomore year we played Monroeville, then this year."
It was Mapleton, though, that came out eager to make a statement. The Mounties led 8-2 early before holding a 10-7 advantage after one. It was a one-point game (17-16) at the intermission in favor of the hosts, and they stretched that to seven before New London's comeback began.
"I thought we had a couple opportunities in the second quarter to extend the lead, but it was a one-point game at halftime," Mapleton coach Matt Hess said. "Basketball is a game of runs and I felt like we didn't extend ours a couple possessions like we could have.
"We went on a nice run there to start that third quarter and I liked our momentum, loved our energy and defensive effort for most of the night. But that run they went on there, I felt like we rushed ourselves offensively and took some quick shots we maybe didn't need to. And we didn't get too many offensive rebounds there for a while in that third quarter. We had a couple very significant players that spent more time on the bench in foul trouble tonight than they have all season. And I thought our girls came off the bench played well, they played hard, but (we gave up too many free throws)."
PART 1: Peek into the wild, weary winter sports season of the Sheldons
PART 2: Long days and short nights the norm for the Sheldons in winter
Both teams faced the added challenge of navigating foul trouble throughout the night, something that wasn't quite as big of a factor the first time they met.
Mapleton's Aubree Hess had two fouls in the first quarter, Emilee Beecher picked up her third less than a minute into the second quarter, and Kenzie Hellickson was called for her fourth right before Henry's free throws sparked the Wildcats' run — Audrey and Kenzie Hellickson fouled out before the final buzzer, as did Beecher; Addison Hess finished with four
New London's Pailee Wilson had three fouls before the midway point of the third, Henry picked up her fourth midway through the final frame and eventually fouled out with under a minute to go, Gracie Thomas also ended with four fouls.
"That's one hell of a team," Mitchell said of the Mounties. "Matt does a great job with that crew, they have nothing to hang their heads about — there ain't a girl out there for either team that didn't leave everything out there."
Addison Hess led all scorers with 19 points and 13 rebounds, Audrey Hellickson added 14 points; Aubree Hess, Beecher, and Khloe Hardesty had two apiece, Kenzie Hellickson one.
"Addison has done a great job all year," Hess said. "She has the unique ability to do whatever it takes to win, whether that's on the defensive end, rebounding, offensively, distributing the basketball — she has been great for us.
"We've looked forward to this game since we played them last. I know it hurts now, but I told them what a learning experience this will be for them and how cool it was to see two communities come out for Firelands Conference basketball. It was a great tournament-like atmosphere and it was cool for our girls to experience."
Olivia Yetter had nine points for the Wildcats to complement Henry's 17, Raeann Mitchell and Thomas seven apiece, Addison Yetter five, Wilson two. New London was 11-of-19 from the free throw line, 4-of-8 in the fourth quarter.
"I told them to think back to when they were freshmen, they were two points and four points away from winning four-straight conference championships ... because of free throws," Mitchell said. "It's time to lock in, and I thought Raeann hit some big ones late."
And now, just five years removed from a one-win season, the Wildcats have their third Firelands Conference title in as many years and a runner-up finish in '22-'23.
"It's work, they're reaping the benefits of what hard work is," Mitchell said. "I'm hard, I'm demanding, but I love these girls and I'll go to bat for them. I've coached these girls with my brother-in-law since first grade and they've never wavered. They're competitors, they're multi-sport athletes ... and more importantly they're just tremendous young women.
"There's a lot of miles on those girls' feet."
But Mitchell knows stretching that to four will be quite difficult.
You gotta credit Matt and his Mapleton girls, they just did a great job," he said. "They're going to be a juggernaut for some years to come, there's no doubt about it."
[email protected] | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: New London girls basketball wins third straight Firelands Conference
Continue reading...
Senior Valery Henry answered the call.
"We went in at halftime and coach gave us the talk — it's time to rise to the occasion — so all of us came out and I was like, somebody's gotta do it," she said. "So I put my best effort in and I think the rest of the girls fed off that energy."
Henry hit a pair of free throws midway through the third quarter that sparked a 29-15 run by the Wildcats over the final 12:19 and steal away a 47-40 win over the Mounties to clinch at least a share of the program's third consecutive league title.
JAKE'S TAKE: Memories of historic Big Red still thick 20 years later
You must be registered for see images attach
"It was kind of just that power swing for us," Henry said. "We came out and really needed a push to get us going in the third quarter."
She had nine of her team-high 17 in the third quarter along with a pair of assists to Addison Yetter resulting in a 3 as part of a 9-0 run over a 90-second stretch, and a buzzer-beater from just inside the arc.
"I can't say enough about the way Valery Henry stepped up in that third quarter," Mitchell said. "That's memorable stuff, that's the stuff you'll remember. She took over that game and I knew she's had it in her. She plays within herself and she did right there ... it was amazing."
It was New London's 41st consecutive win in Firelands Conference play and couldn't have been in a better environment with Mapleton's gymnasium jam-packed with students and fans.
"It's a testament to what girls basketball can be," Mitchell said. "We're losing girls, and it sucks, I hate seeing that across everywhere. Two quarters of JV is not going to get it done, and you're not going to see development.
"But this was amazing for girls to put this many butts in the stands on a Tuesday night, kudos to the Mapleton and New London fans — it was rockin' in here."
And that atmosphere is what Henry fed off in the second half.
"I love when the gym's packed, it's electric," she said. "I love it for our Firelands Conference, my team has been lucky enough to play in (a few) games like this. Freshman year we played against Western Reserve in a packed gym, sophomore year we played Monroeville, then this year."
You must be registered for see images attach
It was Mapleton, though, that came out eager to make a statement. The Mounties led 8-2 early before holding a 10-7 advantage after one. It was a one-point game (17-16) at the intermission in favor of the hosts, and they stretched that to seven before New London's comeback began.
"I thought we had a couple opportunities in the second quarter to extend the lead, but it was a one-point game at halftime," Mapleton coach Matt Hess said. "Basketball is a game of runs and I felt like we didn't extend ours a couple possessions like we could have.
"We went on a nice run there to start that third quarter and I liked our momentum, loved our energy and defensive effort for most of the night. But that run they went on there, I felt like we rushed ourselves offensively and took some quick shots we maybe didn't need to. And we didn't get too many offensive rebounds there for a while in that third quarter. We had a couple very significant players that spent more time on the bench in foul trouble tonight than they have all season. And I thought our girls came off the bench played well, they played hard, but (we gave up too many free throws)."
PART 1: Peek into the wild, weary winter sports season of the Sheldons
PART 2: Long days and short nights the norm for the Sheldons in winter
Both teams faced the added challenge of navigating foul trouble throughout the night, something that wasn't quite as big of a factor the first time they met.
Mapleton's Aubree Hess had two fouls in the first quarter, Emilee Beecher picked up her third less than a minute into the second quarter, and Kenzie Hellickson was called for her fourth right before Henry's free throws sparked the Wildcats' run — Audrey and Kenzie Hellickson fouled out before the final buzzer, as did Beecher; Addison Hess finished with four
New London's Pailee Wilson had three fouls before the midway point of the third, Henry picked up her fourth midway through the final frame and eventually fouled out with under a minute to go, Gracie Thomas also ended with four fouls.
"That's one hell of a team," Mitchell said of the Mounties. "Matt does a great job with that crew, they have nothing to hang their heads about — there ain't a girl out there for either team that didn't leave everything out there."
Addison Hess led all scorers with 19 points and 13 rebounds, Audrey Hellickson added 14 points; Aubree Hess, Beecher, and Khloe Hardesty had two apiece, Kenzie Hellickson one.
You must be registered for see images attach
"Addison has done a great job all year," Hess said. "She has the unique ability to do whatever it takes to win, whether that's on the defensive end, rebounding, offensively, distributing the basketball — she has been great for us.
"We've looked forward to this game since we played them last. I know it hurts now, but I told them what a learning experience this will be for them and how cool it was to see two communities come out for Firelands Conference basketball. It was a great tournament-like atmosphere and it was cool for our girls to experience."
Olivia Yetter had nine points for the Wildcats to complement Henry's 17, Raeann Mitchell and Thomas seven apiece, Addison Yetter five, Wilson two. New London was 11-of-19 from the free throw line, 4-of-8 in the fourth quarter.
"I told them to think back to when they were freshmen, they were two points and four points away from winning four-straight conference championships ... because of free throws," Mitchell said. "It's time to lock in, and I thought Raeann hit some big ones late."
And now, just five years removed from a one-win season, the Wildcats have their third Firelands Conference title in as many years and a runner-up finish in '22-'23.
"It's work, they're reaping the benefits of what hard work is," Mitchell said. "I'm hard, I'm demanding, but I love these girls and I'll go to bat for them. I've coached these girls with my brother-in-law since first grade and they've never wavered. They're competitors, they're multi-sport athletes ... and more importantly they're just tremendous young women.
"There's a lot of miles on those girls' feet."
But Mitchell knows stretching that to four will be quite difficult.
You gotta credit Matt and his Mapleton girls, they just did a great job," he said. "They're going to be a juggernaut for some years to come, there's no doubt about it."
[email protected] | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: New London girls basketball wins third straight Firelands Conference
Continue reading...
