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KEYSER, W.Va. — An opportunity presented itself when Keyser standout Bibs Felton exited the game in foul trouble early in the second quarter.
It appeared at first to be one for Hampshire, which clawed back from a double-digit deficit to within 21-17. In the end, it was a moment for Rooney Urice and the Keyser supporting cast to make a statement.
Keyser embarked on a 19-4 run to blow the game open, during which time Urice buried a trio of 3-pointers, and the point guard finished with a game-high 22 points to power the second-ranked Golden Tornado past third-ranked Hampshire, 65-46, on Thursday night.
"That was just a momentum builder for us," Keyser head coach Josh Blowe said. "That kind of took a little bit of wind out of their sail as well. ... They cut it to four and then we go to halftime up 17. That was clutch, the shot making, handling the pressure and the ball."
Keyser (12-2) stopped a seven-game win streak by Hampshire (12-4). The Golden Tornado entered the contest ranked No. 6 in the Class AAA state coaches' poll and the Trojans ninth.
Felton, who rarely leaves the floor in big games, played 22 minutes due to foul trouble. Keyser held a 21-12 lead when the junior exited with 5:13 remaining in the second quarter.
Hampshire initially took advantage, getting to within four points, but Keyser answered with a 12-2 run and upped its margin to 38-21 by halftime.
The Trojans never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way, and Keyser took a 53-38 edge into the fourth quarter, holding a 20-point edge at one point during the final period.
"They had people step up and we did not," Hampshire head coach Jordan Richardson said. "I didn't make the proper adjustments. There were some attacking situations that we had that we didn't take advantage.
"I think we got a little giddy in that moment (after getting within 21-17) and kind of saw it and wanted it maybe a little bit too much and just got away from what has put us on the seven-game win streak."
Felton returned after halftime and finished second on the Golden Tornado with 15 points. She had 10 points during the first half, doing much of her damage on the fast break.
Jillian Ault joined her in double figures with 11 points, and Austyn Healy scored nine.
Hampshire was led by Della Knight and Kendyl Stewart with 14 points each, and Brooklyn Klavuhn added nine.
The star of the night, however, was Urice, whose previous season-high was 14 points. It was the second 20-point game of her career; she scored 20 points against Linsly last season.
To Blowe, Thursday's performance came as no surprise.
"I've coached a lot of players over the years, she puts in more time than anyone outside of practice time," he said of Urice. "She wants to live in the gym. You've got to kick her out of the gym sometimes."
Keyser heads to No. 5 Petersburg (6-5) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Hampshire will look to regroup in a home matchup with John Handley, Virginia, and James Madison-bound guard Reagan Edsell on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
For a young Hampshire team with a rotation primarily made up of underclassmen, Richardson hopes Thursday's defeat serves as a learning experience.
"I'm proud of this area," Richardson said. "I'm proud of Keyser, I'm proud of Hampshire because they had both sets of bleachers out extended because they were expecting a big crowd, and it was a game that people wanted to see.
"We're young and we look young at times, but they've got to feel these moments."
Continue reading...
It appeared at first to be one for Hampshire, which clawed back from a double-digit deficit to within 21-17. In the end, it was a moment for Rooney Urice and the Keyser supporting cast to make a statement.
Keyser embarked on a 19-4 run to blow the game open, during which time Urice buried a trio of 3-pointers, and the point guard finished with a game-high 22 points to power the second-ranked Golden Tornado past third-ranked Hampshire, 65-46, on Thursday night.
"That was just a momentum builder for us," Keyser head coach Josh Blowe said. "That kind of took a little bit of wind out of their sail as well. ... They cut it to four and then we go to halftime up 17. That was clutch, the shot making, handling the pressure and the ball."
Keyser (12-2) stopped a seven-game win streak by Hampshire (12-4). The Golden Tornado entered the contest ranked No. 6 in the Class AAA state coaches' poll and the Trojans ninth.
Felton, who rarely leaves the floor in big games, played 22 minutes due to foul trouble. Keyser held a 21-12 lead when the junior exited with 5:13 remaining in the second quarter.
Hampshire initially took advantage, getting to within four points, but Keyser answered with a 12-2 run and upped its margin to 38-21 by halftime.
The Trojans never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way, and Keyser took a 53-38 edge into the fourth quarter, holding a 20-point edge at one point during the final period.
"They had people step up and we did not," Hampshire head coach Jordan Richardson said. "I didn't make the proper adjustments. There were some attacking situations that we had that we didn't take advantage.
"I think we got a little giddy in that moment (after getting within 21-17) and kind of saw it and wanted it maybe a little bit too much and just got away from what has put us on the seven-game win streak."
Felton returned after halftime and finished second on the Golden Tornado with 15 points. She had 10 points during the first half, doing much of her damage on the fast break.
Jillian Ault joined her in double figures with 11 points, and Austyn Healy scored nine.
Hampshire was led by Della Knight and Kendyl Stewart with 14 points each, and Brooklyn Klavuhn added nine.
The star of the night, however, was Urice, whose previous season-high was 14 points. It was the second 20-point game of her career; she scored 20 points against Linsly last season.
To Blowe, Thursday's performance came as no surprise.
"I've coached a lot of players over the years, she puts in more time than anyone outside of practice time," he said of Urice. "She wants to live in the gym. You've got to kick her out of the gym sometimes."
Keyser heads to No. 5 Petersburg (6-5) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Hampshire will look to regroup in a home matchup with John Handley, Virginia, and James Madison-bound guard Reagan Edsell on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
For a young Hampshire team with a rotation primarily made up of underclassmen, Richardson hopes Thursday's defeat serves as a learning experience.
"I'm proud of this area," Richardson said. "I'm proud of Keyser, I'm proud of Hampshire because they had both sets of bleachers out extended because they were expecting a big crowd, and it was a game that people wanted to see.
"We're young and we look young at times, but they've got to feel these moments."
Continue reading...
