Fallsnewspress.com - Falls girls run past Garfield Heights

by Frank Aceto

Associate Sports Editor

Cuyahoga Falls -- If only every game could be like the one Jan. 30.

The host Cuyahoga Falls girls basketball team rolled to a lopsided 68-31 victory over Northeast Ohio Conference Lake Division rival Garfield Heights Jan. 30.

With the win, the Lady Black Tigers, who scored a 66-47 victory over the Lady Bulldogs earlier in the season, improved to 6-9 overall and 3-3 in the division. Garfield Heights dropped to 4-11 overall and 1-4 in the Lake Division.

Falls had everything working throughout the afternoon.

The Lady Black Tigers moved the ball crisply. They also drained open jump shots, rebounded well and most importantly, played suffocating defense.

Falls took complete control of the contest late in the first quarter.

Facing a 9-7 deficit, the Lady Black Tigers closed the period with an impressive 11-0 run.

Point guard Sam Troxell, the team's steadiest player throughout the season, ignited the spurt with two easy layups off steals for the last four points.

She had another easy layup off a steal early in the second stanza and finished with a game-high 17 points and four steals.

Her partner in the back court had a stellar game, too.

Shooting guard Destiny Spencer buried three shots from beyond the three-point line in the first half and finished with 11 points.

Troxell and Spencer appear to be getting more comfortable with each other as the season progresses. And that has made Falls far more productive in recent weeks.

"Sam's two steals were the turning point in the game," Lady Black Tigers head coach Dennis Wright said. "Destiny also had a great game. Sam and Destiny are really starting to play well together."

Wright, however, was far more impressed with his team's defense.

Falls allowed more than nine points just once when it surrendered 10 in the second quarter.

The Lady Black Tigers saved their best effort for last on the defensive end as the overmatched Lady Bulldogs scored just three points in the final eight minutes.

Garfield Heights struggled with Falls' zone throughout the game. Such problems allowed the Lady Black Tigers to get a head start on offense.

"It was a very good effort," Wright said. "They [the Lady Bulldogs] only had one field goal in the last quarter. We played a tandem up front with our two guards. We basically had our two guards play man to man to get us into our zone."

The strategy worked beautifully.

Garfield Heights appeared confused a number of times which led to errant passes that either wound up in a defender's hands or out of bounds.

The Lady Bulldogs did have a quickness advantage, but their chaotic pace led to an array of turnovers. Garfield Heights also struggled with its shooting touch. When those shots found iron, Falls usually got the rebound.

Post player Logen Breehl led the charge inside with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. She did most of her scoring from the foul line as she connected on 8-of-9 attempts.

Reserve forward Marina Pelemis flexed her muscles down low as she finished with seven rebounds.

"Logen was really strong on the boards and Marina played her best game of the year," Wright said.

The Lady Black Tigers had a fourth player who reached double digits in scoring. Forward Patricia Sagerer had another steady offensive game as she finished with 12 points.

Brittany Penman paced the Lady Bulldogs with seven points.

Falls has made significant strides over the last several games. Earlier in the season, a Lady Black Tiger possession often turned into a turnover and its outside shooting proved to be erratic.

Falls, which earned a commanding 42-11 win in the junior varsity contest, corrected those problems Jan. 30.

"We've had some good practices and the girls have been working harder," Wright said. "Because of the way our schedule has been working, they've been getting some rest which also has helped."

The Lady Black Tigers are scheduled to entertain Lake Division foe Valley Forge Feb. 6, but results were not available at press time.

E-mail: faceto@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3914