Hardwood Heroes Sports
Spartans Move Closer Towards Conference Crown
By: Claire Geary
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McARTHUR, Ohio– With seven crowd ejections from the Alexander sideline, Coach Kearns mentioned how it only gave him an extra 30 seconds to continue planning his strategy against the Vinton County Vikings.
The Alexander Spartans showed up in McArthur with two goals in mind. First, to establish the post position and second execute plays effectively on the hardwood against the Vikings. And the squad did just that on their way to a 52-32 victory.
With the support of their fan base, who outnumbered the home team, the Spartans established themselves on the hardwood quickly. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 7-to-18, with the Spartans gaining control of the game quickly.
Aggressiveness in the paint for defensive rebounds and ball movement outside of the arc made for a tough match for the Vikings offense. In addition, Alexander left Vinton County scoreless for the first four minutes of the opening quarter.
Nothing changed in the game play for the Spartans, who continued to control the game for the remaining three quarters.
The pace of play was a tough one to match from the Vikings, who struggled to find their groove during the first half. The coaching staff was vocal on the sidelines as well, and it showed in the point differential between the two teams.
Going into the second half, Vinton County seemed to have a bit more confidence and chemistry when stepping onto the hardwood for the remainder of the game. But that did not scare away Alexander from continuing their strengths on the court.
The standout players for Alexander were freshman Kyler D’Augustino and senior Caleb Terry, who had 18 points apiece. Together, the two had 14 rebounds and four assists, plus one block. Another notable Spartan was senior Kaleb Easley, who had eight points and two assists.
As for Vinton County, Lance Montgomery led the night in scoring with seven points, and close behind him was Zayne Karr with six points.
The Spartans improve their record to 14-7 overall, and 9-2 in conference play, which matches what they had at the end of last season. The team returns to Albany in preparation for their final home game of the season and senior night celebration against the River Valley Raiders.
As for the Vikings, they drop their record to 12-7 and 6-4 in conference play. They will prepare to travel to Wellston on Friday for yet another TVC-Ohio matchup.