Springfield avenges only ITCL defeat, beating East Palestine

The Tigers edged closer to an Inter Tri-County League title with a 52-37 win.

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TIGERS ROAR TO THE WIN:East Palestine’s Chelsea Stewart (45) tries to stop Springfield’s Andria Lyons (4) as Lyons drives to the hoop during Thursday’s game at the Tigers’ gymnasium in New Middletown. Lyons posted 13 points for the Tigers, who avenged their only Inter Tri-County League loss this season by defeating their Tier One rivals, 52-37.

By GREG GULAS

VIndicator Correspondent

NEW MIDDLETOWN — When East Palestine pinned a loss on Springfield back on Jan. 7 for the Tigers’ only league loss this season, it was a game in which the shots fell for the Bulldogs and simply refused to fall for Springfield.

The exact opposite was true Thursday night as Andria Lyons scored 13 points and Ashley Davis added 12 markers to lead the Tigers to a 52-37 win over East Palestine in an Inter Tri-County League Tier One game at the Tigers’ gymnasium.

“I watched the film from our first game over and over and we really didn’t play that bad,” said Springfield coach Sandi Kohler. “We just didn’t hit our buckets in that game while tonight they just found a way to go through the hoop.

“The key for us tonight was picking up the intensity on defense midway through the third quarter.”

Davis and Emily Brinsey combined for nine points in the opening period for Springfield.

Emily Casto, who had a game-high 21 points for East Palestine (7-10, 4-8) in the first outing, hit the second of two free throws with one second remaining to forge a 9-all tie after the first eight minutes of play.

Davis then added seven points in the second stanza while Lyons connected on four charity tosses as the Tigers (15-2, 11-1) increased their lead to 17-13 at intermission.

“The last time we didn’t play good defensively,” said Davis. “We struggled with our defense in the first half but stepped it up after halftime and that was big tonight.

“Our offense enjoyed a better night as well,” Davis said.

Lyons, who hit for 17 points in the first meeting, connected for nine of her game-high 13 points after halftime. She added that the defense was a big factor this time around against the Bulldogs.

“We struggled at both ends of the court in our first game but kicking it up a notch tonight defensively really helped us out offensively,” she said.

“We definitely had the motivation, realizing that we would have to give an all-out effort, not only tonight but the rest of the way if we still expected to have a shot at the league title,” Lyons said.

Kallie Rogers’ six points in the third period offset a 5-0 run to end the frame by East Palestine as the Tigers built a 40-35 advantage heading to the final quarter.

It was defense the rest of the way for the Tigers as they went on 12-0 run in the period and held the Bulldogs to just one bucket; that coming with 18 seconds remaining, for their eighth win in a row.

“We threw Andria [Lyons] on the hot coals as a freshman because she was the only one that I had who could handle the ball,” said Kohler. “That move is now paying dividends for us.

“As for Ashley, she has a very high basketball IQ, knows exactly what we have to do and when we have to do it. She rebounds, scores, hits the outlet and does everything in a timely fashion,” Kohler said.

Outrebounded by a 27-23 count, East Palestine fell for the third consecutive time.

They have lost three of their last four games and six of their last eight outings since beating the Tigers.