Timberwolves Outside Shooters Turn the Tale on Cumberland

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•January 11, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team has won its last 7-of-10 games to even its record to 8-8 for the season.

“We have been trending upward as the season has moved along,” said OV coach Brooks Inman. “Hopefully we can continue this trend into conference play.”

This week the Timberwolves split a pair of games, defeating Cumberland Friday and losing to Central A&M in a rescheduled game Saturday.

Against Cumberland, OV played from behind most of the game, trailing by four at the half, 21-17.

Down 23-20, the Timberwolves put together one of the best quarters the team has had all season.

“Against Cumberland, we executed pretty well in the first half,” said Inman. “We just didn’t knock down our shots. We came out in the third quarter and started connecting.”

While turning the ball over in the entire third quarter, OV made 4-of-5 3-pointers in the quarter, and in a span of less than three minutes, the Timberwolves scored 10 unanswered points.

With 5:50 left in the third, Taylor Coleman hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

“Taylor Coleman picked us up big-time with nine points in the quarter as well,” said Inman. Read More

Winning Week for Sullivan Girls’ Basketball Team

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Photo by RR Best
Lizzie Green (#2), Laine Cameron (#22) and Chloe Riley (#24) trap a Cowden-Herrick player during a Redskin home game Thursday.

•January 11, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Lady Redskins’ basketball team finished the week 2-1 with wins against Cerro Gordo and Cowden-Herrick and a loss to Neoga.

Against Cerro Gordo Monday, Sullivan blanked the Broncos in the first quarter 15-0 and didn’t look back, holding Cerro Gordo to less than nine points in each quarter for the eventual 63-17 win.

“It was a great team effort tonight, especially defensively,” said Sullivan coach Sheri McCain. “We caused 42 turnovers as a team.”

Ester Miller tallied a game-high 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Tatum Ellis followed with 13 points, including three 3-pointers.

Haley Rose’s defense caused a team-high seven steals, and Elizabeth Green dished out a team-high five assists and scored three points.

Chloe Riley and Josie Orris scored nine and eight points, respectively, and Kirsten O’Neal and Avery Still each added three points

Laine Cameron rounded out the Lady Redskins’ scoring with a bucket.

Against Cowden-Herrick Thursday, Sullivan again jumped out to an early lead. Read More

OVHS Boys Win Three at Dieterich Tournament

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•January 4, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team defeated Arcola 51-35 and placed fifth in the Dieterich Holiday Tournament Thursday.

The Timberwolves also knocked off Christ our Rock Lutheran and Tuscola but lost to Oblong and host and No. 1 seeded Dieterich.

Against Arcola, Okaw Valley took a three-point lead into the half but lost the lead 32-31 by the end of the third quarter.

The Timberwolves locked down defensively and allowed only three points in the fourth quarter, while scoring 20, to put the game away.

Connor Cloyd led with a game-high 13 points, making 5-for-5 at the charity stripe. Read More

The Sullivan Girls Seventh at Mattoon Holiday Tournament

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•January 4, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Lady Redskins defeated MacArthur and lost to Galesburg, Salem and Vandalia.

In the second game against MacArthur, the Lady Redskins used a 21-6 third-quarter run to take the lead that propelled them to a 59-42 win.

“We started out slow in the first quarter, but I was very proud of the girls who came in off the bench to give us a spark defensively,” said coach Sheri McCain. “We stepped up our defense in the third quarter which I thought changed the game quite a bit.”

Three Lady Redskins scored in double digits.

Elizabeth Green and Brooke Tuttle each scored 11 points, and Chloe Riley added 10.

Tuttle also dished out four assists. Read More

ALAH Knights Finished 1-3 in the Tri-County Tournament

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•January 4, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Knights defeated Martinsville but lost to Westville, Windsor/Stew-Stras and Paris.

Against Martinsville Thursday, the Bluestreaks scored seven of the first nine points to start the game.

ALAH used an 11-1 third-quarter run to come back from a 22-15 halftime deficit to take the 26-23 lead.

Marcus Vanausdoll tied the score in the middle of the third quarter, and the game was back-and-forth from there.

With 1:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, Will Cohan hit a 3-pointer to take a 37-35 lead.

Up one point with six seconds left in the game, Cohan made a free throw for the 39-36 final. Read More

Redskins Boys’ Team Defeats Blue Ridge

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•January 4, 2017•

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team defeated Blue Ridge for its first win of the season and finished seventh in the Team Soy Capital Christmas Tournament at St. Teresa High School Thursday.

With help from Bryce Farris’ 22 points, Sullivan defeated Blue Ridge 72-47.

The Redskins took a five-point lead after the first quarter then stretched that into a 32-19 halftime lead.

Sullivan extended that lead to 20 points, 54-34, by the end of the third quarter. Read More

Okaw Valley Girls Place Third in Holiday Action

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Photo by R.R. Best Isabella Benning passes the ball against Tuscola Thursday night in Bethany.

Photo by R.R. Best
Isabella Benning passes the ball against Tuscola Thursday night in Bethany.

•December 28, 2016•

By Jason Lee Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball finished a busy week of action at home, playing four games in four days.

For the second straight year, the Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team placed third in the Okaw Valley girls’ basketball Holiday Tournament with a 3-1 record.

The Lady Timberwolves defeated Blue Ridge Monday, lost to Unity on Tuesday and beat Altamont Wednesday.

The Lady Timberwolves carried that tournament momentum into their game Thursday at home and defeated Tuscola, 40-32.

OV took a five-point lead into the second quarter, but Tuscola came back and cut the lead to three, 21-18, at half.

The Lady Timberwolves tacked on four more points to their lead, 31-24, heading into the fourth quarter and held on for the win.

Paige Robinson scored a team-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers.

Natalie Jeffers scored nine, and Jesse Robinson added six. Read More

ALAH Girls Basketball Come Back for Championship

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Photo furnished Knight’s Classic Champions: Marcy Petersheim, Kyla Carson, Hannah Wallen, Mycaela Miller, Marissa Herschberger, Abi Duzan; Back row: Madi Corum, Janette Comstock, Liz Shipman, Megan Fifer, Payton Wellbaum, Kimberly Davis, Drew Wingler and Abby Foreman.

Photo furnished
Knight’s Classic Champions: Marcy Petersheim, Kyla Carson, Hannah Wallen, Mycaela Miller, Marissa Herschberger, Abi Duzan; Back row: Madi Corum, Janette Comstock, Liz Shipman, Megan Fifer, Payton Wellbaum, Kimberly Davis, Drew Wingler and Abby Foreman.

•December 28, 2016•

By Jason Lee Brown
News Progress Sports Editor

Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team defended its Knights Classic Holiday Tournament by sweeping through its pool play then defeating Tri-County 52-47 in the championship game in Arthur Friday night.

To take home the championship trophy, ALAH had to come back from an early 13-point deficit against Tri-County.

The Lady Titans pressed early to take a 12-2 lead and extended that lead to 20-7 at the end of the first quarter.

“We weren’t playing sharp at the time,” said ALAH coach Craig Moffett. “It’s just one of those deals where the ball wasn’t falling in, and they hit some shots.”

The Knights did not panic and rather chipped away at the lead one possession at a time.  Read More

OV Boys Head to Dieterich

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•December 28, 2016•

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team entered the Dieterich Holiday Tournament this week.

The Timberwolves opened their first game against host Dieterich yesterday and are scheduled to play Christ Our Rock Lutheran at 1 p.m. today. Read More