ThunderRidge Trips Up Legend
When the #7 ThunderRidge Grizzlies traveled over to Legend High School to take on the #10 Titans many expected a Continental classic, but that wouldn’t be the case. Some would call it a grinder of game. It was less than that. The intensity shown by both of these teams, especially in the first half, rivaled that of a mid-April game between NBA teams out of playoff contention. Despite the poor play for nearly three quarters the Grizzlies hung around and were able to rely on big plays from its seniors to take the victory from the Titans.
Both teams started of flat and lackadaisical. It took nearly three minutes for either team to score. Both teams defenses were solid most of the night but it wasn’t stellar. Both teams offenses were passive aggressive happy to milk time off the clock.
It wasn’t all bad in the first quarter for ThunderRidge’s senior forward Clay Verk. The 6’8 forward was able to carve space and finish off the back board multiple times and was the only Grizzly able to score in the quarter.
Meanwhile Legend got baskets from five different players and was able to get quality looks from their senior big man Connor McCord who lead the Titans in scoring for the quarter. McCord had a very good game on both ends of the court staying out of foul trouble and guarding Verk very well in stretches, all the while scoring on post moves and a nice pick n roll later in the game.
Legend led 12-8 at the end of the first quarter that was marred by turnovers and missed shots.
The first five minutes of the second quarter neither team scored. Only two players scored in the quarter. ThunderRidge senior Troy Brady and Legend senior Jared Small scored all of their points in the last three minutes of the quarter. Brady sank two 3 pointers and Small scored eight points. Legend led at half time 20-14.
Both teams struggled again to get much going offensively but defensively they hardly allowed any offensive boards on the night. ThunderRidge rotated between zone and man to man defenses, while Legend primarily matched up man to man. The Grizzlies managed to scrap together an 11-4 run that covered the first five minute of the third quarter. Verk got the scoring started and then Elijah Rodriguez hit a three pointer to get the Grizzlies with in one with 3:45 left. Then about a minute late Austin Mueller hit a bucket to give the Grizzlies there first lead since the beginning of the game. But Legend started to click and answered with a 10-0 run in the last 2:45 of the quarter capped by this Andre Hogan 3 pointer at the quarter buzzer and it looked like at the end of the third quarter Legend was ready to put the Grizzlies away.
The fourth quarter things picked up a bit as Brady sparked the Grizzlies comeback. The Grizzlies started the quarter on a 10 – 0 run with seven points scored by Brady. The ThunderRidge run was helped by Legends lack of focus on both ends of the floor. Legend had multiple unforced turnovers and simply forgot to guard Brady during the Grizzlies run. ThunderRidge led 35-34 with 5:10 remaining in the game. Over the next two minutes ThunderRidge went back to Verk who scored four points and gave the Grizzlies a 39-38 lead with 3:10 remaining. The last two minutes Mueller made his presence felt after being relatively quite most of the game. He drove the lane for a two hand dunk and then hit Brady with a long pass for a lay up to give ThunderRidge a 43-38 lead with less than 90 seconds to play. Legend kept grinding though and Monroe Porter hit a 3 pointer to cut the deficit to 43-41 with 1:00. This is how the last minute went.
With ThunderRidges victory they stay in the hunt for the Continental League crown but they will need help.
Double Digit Scorers
ThunderRidge –
Clay Verk 18
Troy Brady 15
Legend
Andre Hogan 11
Connor McCord 10
