Athens ends tournament run with second round loss to Unioto
By: Zachary Knight
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CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WOUB) — After a win against Chillicothe last week, the Lady Bulldogs traveled to Unioto high school for their next tournament matchup against the Shermans, who would end the Bulldogs season with a 75-53 victory.
Out of the gate the Bulldogs flexed their defensive capabilities. They held the Sherman offense down, not allowing them to put up shots while the Athens offense got to work on the other end.
Athens held on to a lead for a brief stint, but a run at the end of the from the Shermans led by Milee Smith put them in front of the Bulldogs to end the quarter up 22-18, a lead they held on to for the remainder of the game.
Athens fought back in the second quarter, Lex Koopal and Olivia Smart commanded the offense, with Koopal finding second chance buckets while Olivia found some outside looks.
The Bulldogs remained in the fight but headed into the locker room trailing behind 45-32.
After the half, the Shermans adjusted their offense and began to lock down the Bulldogs. Their ability to control the pace and speed of the game proved to be a challenge for Athens, who began to falter. They kept it close, and Asa Holcombe was able to keep the Bulldogs close with her 10 rebounds.
Ultimately the third quarter ended with Unioto remaining in control with a score of 59-43, and the final frame continued the trend. The Shermans consistently found outside looks that propelled them ahead, leading to a 75-53 victory over the Bulldogs.
Unioto will move on in the tournament, and their next matchup will be against Sheridan on February 19.
With the Bulldogs season coming to an end, they’ll begin to look forward to next year. Lone senior and thousand-point scorer Asa Holcombe will be the only player the team is losing.
Athens will also be looking for a new coach this coming season, as head coach Phil Koska will step down from his position and retire but is looking forward to seeing what the girls do next.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing them all grow in the future, where they go and how they become adults. I couldn’t ask for more as a coach.” Koska said
With a returning core and strong performances from younger players like Brystol Stump, the Athens Lady Bulldogs will look to defend their TVC-Ohio crown next season.