Posting the only upset of the Borgia Girls Basketball Tournament first round, sixth-seeded Troy controlled Monday night’s game against third-seeded Union, winning 55-36.
“It was a battle all night long,” Union Head Coach Grant Young said. “The great thing was that our kids never gave up with their intensity level. Coaches never want to take a loss, but some losses can be better than some of the wins. The way these kids stuck together is going to be what pulls us through the last four weeks of the season because they didn’t give up.”
Young said Monday’s contest featured plenty of physical play, which favored the taller, deeper Troy squad.
“It was a very physical game,” said Young. “There is no exaggeration of that whatsoever. That got us a little frustrated and got into our heads in the second quarter.”
Without looking at the seedings, one would have thought the two teams were reversed. Troy (9-5) led for almost the entire time. The Trojanettes scored the first seven points of the game before Union (13-5) recorded a free throw.
Union got as close as two points, pulling back to 10-8 at the end of a quarter on a three-point basket by Bethany Coons, but never could catch up.
Union returns to action at 4 p.m. Wednesday, playing Washington in an elimination game at 4 p.m. The winner moves to Saturday’s 1 p.m. consolation game against either Cardinal Ritter or Sumner. The loser goes home.
Union has played Washington twice, winning the consolation game of the Union Tournament, 44-37, and last Friday at Union High School, 58-49.
“The old cliche that it’s tough to beat a team three times applies here,” Young said. “I know Adam (Fischer) and I don’t like battling each other that many times. It’s going to be a hard-fought game. They’re going to want to get that win from us. We don’t want to give them that win. It will be a great game. I know Adam will have them ready to go and our kids will be ready to go.”
More Troy
Troy opened the second quarter with the first eight points to build up a 10-point advantage at the intermission, 27-17.
Things got worse for the Lady ’Cats during the second quarter. Senior stalwart Rachael Bassett went down injured following a collision. She’s recently had back injury issues and the hard contact with the floor didn’t help the situation.
Bassett did return and started the third quarter, but was limited to stretches of action before having to come back out.
And Union lost a point when a basket was confirmed as a two-point shot rather than a three. Overall, it didn’t make a difference in Troy’s domination.
The Trojanettes added to that lead, holding a 15-point advantage after three quarters, 42-27.
With just eight players on the roster, Young was forced to continue to cycle the same players into the game. And when Bassett was hurt, the bench got shorter.
Union had no answer for Troy’s 6-0 junior Haley Meyer, who torched the Lady ’Cats for 21 points.
Mimi Henderson netted eight points, Alyssa Schrader added seven and Hannah Henderson closed with six points.
Coons and Whitney Vitt scored 13 points apiece for Union.
From there, the scoring fell off. Bassett closed with four points during her limited playing time.
Abbie Brack and Anna Houston scored three points apiece. Brack’s points came on a foul which yielded three free throws.
Alyssa Coons scored one point and fouled out with 1:04 to play.
Others playing for Union were Jill Johnston and Briana Lakebrink.
