Published: January 13, 2009 11:44 pm      

Twin Valley, Honaker split Black Diamond twinbill

HONAKER — The powers that be prevailed, the defending champion Honaker girls and Twin Valley boys, in a Black Diamond District doubleheader Tuesday night at A.P. Baldwin Gymnasium, but the girls game at least provided some 3-point fireworks.

Honaker overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to top Twin Valley, 59-50, in Tuesday’s opener.

Like champion prize fighters, Twin Valley star Katie Jo Lester and Honaker standout Rachel Artrip traded 3s, combining to hit five in a row in a span of nearly four minutes in the final period as the lead changed hands in dramatic fashion.

The Lady Panthers hit three straight 3s, two by Lester, to turn what had been a 12-point deficit at one point into a 47-45 lead with 3:52 remaining. Artrip answered with a strong baseline drive for a layup and a 3 from the right corner to give the Lady Tigers the lead back for good, 51-47, with 2:29 left.

A Lester trey from the top of the key got Twin Valley (7-6, 1-2) within 51-50 at the 1:52 mark. Artrip came back with a 3 from the left corner to make it 54-50 Honaker with 1:26 remaining. Nicole Roman and Hannah Bostic hit free throws in the final minute to preserve the lead.

“Rachel hit some big shots, Jennifer Ball had a big game for us,” Honaker coach Nathan Breeding said. “We played well offensively. We just left our defense at home.

“Twin Valley lives and dies by the three. We may have to re-think our game plan against them defensively, because teams usually shoot better at home, and look how they shot here.”

Artrip finished with 22 points, Ball added 10 points and 11 rebounds and Paige Tiller powered home 15 points for Honaker (8-3, 2-0). Lester finished with 20 points, while Sarah Mullins and Sydney Gilbert each added 11 for Twin Valley, which was 10-of-24 from 3-point range.



TWIN VALLEY (7-6, 1-2)

Gilbert 4 0-0 11, Horn 1 0-0 3, Ratliff 0 0-0 0, Wimmer 1 0-0 2, S. Mullins 4 0-0 11, Lester 8 1-1 20, Tatum 0 0-0 0, Goodman 0 0-0 0, Davis 1 1-4 3, McClanahan 0 0-0 0, Wagner 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 2-5 50.

HONAKER (8-3, 2-0)

Roman 1 3-7 6, Kiser 0 0-0 0, Bostic 2 2-4 , Hess 0 0-0 0, Ball 4 2-2 10, Artrip 8 3-4 22, Tiller 6 3-4 15. Totals 21 13-21 59.

Twin Valley........................7 13 18 12 — 50

Honaker..........................16 10 19 14 — 59

3-point goals — TV 10 (Lester 3, Mullins 3, Gilbert 3, Horn), Hon 4 (Artrip 3, Roman). Total fouls — TV 18, Hon 10, Fouled out — none.



Boys

Twin Valley 76, Honaker 43

It was a 7-point game at halftime. It was a completely different game in the second half.

Four Twin Valley starters scored four or more points in a 21-5 run to open the third quarter and the Panthers went on to rout the Tigers, 76-43, in Tuesday’s nightcap.

Garrett Horne dropped in 26 points and had seven assists, while Hunter Simpson added 16 points for Twin Valley (11-3, 3-0). The Panthers outscored the Tigers 42-16 in the second half.

Ethan Davis scored eight of his 11 points in the first half for Honaker (3-7, 1-1). The Tigers shot just 25 percent (14-56) from the floor.

All ten players got into the scoring column for Honaker. Nine players did the same for Twin Valley.



TWIN VALLEY (11-3, 3-0)

Smith 4 0-0 8, Keen 3 0-0 6, Simpson 6 2-2 16, Horne 11 2-4 26, Shortridge 2 0-0 5, Adams 1 0-0 2, Burniston 2 0-0 5, Viers 1 0-1 2, St. Clair 2 0-0 6. Totals 32 4-7 76.

HONAKER (3-7, 1-1)

T. Brown 1 0-0 2, Murphy 0 3-4 3, Hall 2 2-3 6, Dye 1 0-0 2, Davis 4 0-2 11, C. Brown 2 1-2 6, Gent 1 2-2 4, Vandyke 2 2-4 6, C. Ray 1 0-2 2, S. Ray 0 1-1 1. Totals 14 11-20 43.

Twin Valley.....................18 16 26 16 — 76

Honaker.........................11 16 9 7 — 43

3-point goals — TV 8 (Horne 4, Simpson 2, St. Clair 2), Hon 4 (Davis 3, Brown). Total fouls — TV 19, Hon 12, Fouled out — none.