GRAFTON, W.Va. — Philip Barbour struggled to develop rhythm offensively throughout the entirety of the first quarter and much of the opening half in Thursday’s contest at Grafton.
Fortunately for the Colts, their full court defensive pressure is at the point that it can often help them create offense, and that proved to be the case during a 41-point second half that enabled Philip Barbour to pull away for a 61-42 victory — its second in as many tries this season over the Bearcats.
“Our offense is created by our defense and we play 100 miles an hour. We’re going to have nights where we don’t shoot the ball really well, but when we don’t shoot the ball really well, we create a lot of our own layups and easy shots by our tenacity on defense,” said PB assistant coach Mike Cvechko, who was acting head coach Thursday with Rick Mouser out sick.
After taking a 20-10 lead into halftime, PBHS (5-0) appeared on the verge of breaking the game open during the early stages of the third quarter.
Braylyn Sparks accounted for her team’s first four points of the second half and freshman Izzy Knotts provided the next six, before Arrington Sparks turned her steal into an uncontested layup that enabled the visitors to hold a 32-15 advantage less than 3 minutes into the third quarter.
“They gave the maximum effort tonight and played like they cared, but when you don’t do those things in practice and get into game speed against good teams, you lose your mind mentally and physically,” Grafton head coach Hartsel Keener said. “That’s why we’re missing bunnies and not lined up where we’re supposed to be in offensive sets and then you get into poor defensive positions, because you’re not training your body to play 32 minutes.”
However, not long after, Grafton (3-3) also began to hit its stride offensively, and the Bearcats utilized two three-points from Jazalynn Ray to draw closer, the first of which came during a 9-0 surge that trimmed a 16-point deficit to 35-28 at the 3-minute mark.
Ray’s second triple brought GHS to within 37-31, though it was answered by a trey from PB’s LaDonna Herron, and the Colts settled for a 42-34 lead through after a quarter in which the teams combined for 46 points.
Herron began the fourth quarter with three free throws to up PB’s lead to 11, though Kenna Keener kept the Bearcats within striking distance by scoring five points over the first 3:31 of the fourth, including a conventional three-point play with 4:31 remaining that brought Grafton to within 49-39.
The Bearcats would get no closer.
Rylee Bodkins responded with a pair of short jumpers in what was a six-point frame for the Colts’ freshman reserve.
“She’s a slasher and she can get to the hoop when she wants to get to the hoop,” Cvechko said of Bodkins. “She can guard basically any position one through five and she’s a wonderful addition to our team.”
Arrington Sparks and Knotts both scored from close range moments later to make it 57-40 and put to rest any thought of a Bearcat rally.
After making only 6-of-31 first-half field-goal attempts, Philip Barbour was 14 for 22 from the floor in the second half. Additionally, the Colts capitalized on their aggressive play in the form of 22 free-throw attempts, 17 of which they cashed in on.
Knotts had team highs of 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Herron scored 12 points. Braylyn Sparks added 11 points, Bodkins scored 10 and Arrington Sparks added eight.
By forcing 32 turnovers and committing 14, PBHS attempted 16 more field goals (53-37) than Grafton.
“Half our roster is comprised of freshmen and we have super senior leadership that are bringing these freshmen along game by game and you can see them progressing,” Cvechko said. “It’s a lot of fun to coach a group like that. They just go out and play basketball. You don’t have to get them up for a game.”
The Bearcats got a game-high 18 points from Hadley Horne in defeat.
Keener added 14 and Ray 10, but that trio comprised all of Grafton’s scoring.
Horne and Keener had nine rebounds apiece.
“It doesn’t have to be a big amount of scoring,” coach Keener said, “but we have to find someone else that can score the basketball without forcing things or thinking that I have to produce a stat.”