Sports
Tornadoes Storm Into Waterford, Leave With Share Of Second In The TVC-Hocking
By: Thomas Garverick
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Trey McKnickle and the Southern Tornadoes did not forget what happened on Dec. 22.
Friday night, McKnickle made the biggest play of the Tornadoes’ season: a drive to the right baseline and hit the game-winning layup for the Tornadoes (11-5,9-3 TVC-Hocking) as time expired to beat the Wildcats (9-5, 8-3 TVC-Hocking) 52-50.
The Tornadoes got the sweetest revenge a team can get: beat the team that beat you on your court in their place, and in the process, gaining co-possession of first place of the TVC-Hocking with the Trimble Tomcats.
The Tornadoes proved to everyone Friday – if they didn’t already with a win over the Tomcats back on Jan. 23 – that this team is a contender not a pretender.
Last time these two teams met, the Wildcats were on the better side of a four-point win. For majority of the fourth quarter, it was the Tornadoes that were holding onto a four-point lead.
Bryce Hilverding hit two free throws and then the following Wildcat possession he found Travis Pottmeyer under the rim to tie the game at 50.
But every time the Wildcats rallied, the Tornadoes remained as cool as the other side of the pillow.
In a hostile environment, with first place on the line, McKnickle (14 points) made a play that could be remembered as the deciding factor in crowning the Hocking champion this season.
For the Wildcats, head coach Tom Simms said that the team had to clean up its 17 turnovers after receiving a major scare from the Federal Hocking Lancers Tuesday night.
Friday night they started strong, but again, when the Tornadoes went to a full court press in the second quarter – Hilverding and the Wildcats got flustered, turned the ball over and looked all out of sorts.
They never really got their foot back in the door and credit the Tornadoes for shutting that door.
The Wildcats are in a rut at the wrong time of the season and they’ll try to get things back on track as the end of the regular season nears when they travel to Fort Frye on Saturday.
The Tornadoes will also be in action Saturday as well when they take on Point.