GIRLS BB: Big Game in SWVa - Wise Central (44) Ridgeview (40) - FINAL
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Warriors win Mountain 7 showdown with Ridgeview, stay unbeaten
Central #10 Gracie Mullins drives past Ridgeview #2 Hunter Grant during Tuesday's game.
NORTON, Va. – When things get tight, Wise County Central gets tough.
Southwest Virginia’s only unbeaten hoops squad stayed perfect by gutting out a 44-40 win over Ridgeview on Tuesday night in a marquee Mountain 7 District girls basketball showdown.
The Warriors (13-0, 4-0) have won three of the last four state titles in the VHSL’s second-smallest classification by coming through in the clutch time and time again like they did against the Wolfpack.
“Down the stretch,” said Central coach Robin Dotson. “They keep their composure pretty good.”
It appeared fourth-quarter drama wouldn’t be needed as Central raced out to a 9-2 lead and built its advantage to as many as 14 points in the first half.
Ridgeview (8-5, 1-2) hit just five of its 23 shots from the field in the opening 16 minutes against a surprise 2-3 zone implemented by the Warriors.
“Just something I thought of before the game,” Dotson said. “I went in the locker room and said, ‘As predictable as I am, I’m going to be unpredictable. We’re going to start in a 2-3 zone.’ It was working, so we just stayed in it. We probably played five minutes of zone all year long before tonight.”
Ridgeview finally broke out of its offensive funk in the third quarter, closing the period on a 10-1 run to pull even.
“We just told our kids to keep playing and keep shooting,” said Ridgeview coach Donnie Frazier. “We know what kind of shooters we have. Just keep shooting and they’d fall. And when they did, we made our run.”
While Ridgeview rallied, Central got sloppy.
“In the third quarter we got out of sync, trying to play too fast and lost our composure and they hit some shots,” Dotson said. “We didn’t attack their press very well.”
The fourth quarter featured five lead changes and Central went ahead to stay when Dee Cvetnich sank two free throws with 1:29 remaining. Junior Olivia Mullins then provided some crucial plays, grabbing a defensive rebound and then draining two free throws with 27.5 seconds remaining to put Central ahead 43-40.
Mullins had actually missed a free throw with 55.6 seconds left, but atoned for that brick.
“I knew I had to make ’em,” Mullins said. “We were only up by one and I figured it was do or die.”
Mullins is among the battle-tested group of players for Central and finished with nine points.
“That’s what you expect out of your point guard,” Dotson said. “You want her out there with the ball and to be able to knock down free throws when it counts.”
Ridgeview’s Bailey Frazier, who finished with 13 points, missed two potential game-tying shots in the final minute as the Wolfpack was left with a familiar feeling.
“We’ve got to figure out how to close the game,” Donnie Frazier said. “That’s the sixth team we’ve played this year that’s got 10 wins or more already and we’ve lost five of those. Every one of them we’ve been in the game in the final two minutes. We’ve got to figure out how to win in those situations. The problem with that is we’re playing kids who aren’t used to playing as many minutes as they’re playing, but they’re getting them right now. Maybe towards the end of the year and we keep playing games like this, it will benefit us in the long run.”
Cvetnich finished with a game-high 14 points for Central in what was a typical battle with Ridgeview.
“They always come ready,” Mullins said. “Always; every game. No matter what the lead is, sometimes you just can’t put ’em away that easy.”
Thus is life in the Mountain 7 District.
“It’s a long season,” Frazier said. “You have to show up every night in this [district] in girls basketball. You can’t take a night off.”
Riding a 17-game win streak which dates back to last season, Central is used to such situations.
“When the fourth quarter is that close, it feels like a lifetime,” Mullins said. “We try to keep poised and we are always excited for each other and there for each other.”
- Tim Hayes | Bristol Herald Courier
- Jan 9, 2018 Updated 7 hrs ago
- (…)
Central #10 Gracie Mullins drives past Ridgeview #2 Hunter Grant during Tuesday's game.
NORTON, Va. – When things get tight, Wise County Central gets tough.
Southwest Virginia’s only unbeaten hoops squad stayed perfect by gutting out a 44-40 win over Ridgeview on Tuesday night in a marquee Mountain 7 District girls basketball showdown.
The Warriors (13-0, 4-0) have won three of the last four state titles in the VHSL’s second-smallest classification by coming through in the clutch time and time again like they did against the Wolfpack.
“Down the stretch,” said Central coach Robin Dotson. “They keep their composure pretty good.”
It appeared fourth-quarter drama wouldn’t be needed as Central raced out to a 9-2 lead and built its advantage to as many as 14 points in the first half.
Ridgeview (8-5, 1-2) hit just five of its 23 shots from the field in the opening 16 minutes against a surprise 2-3 zone implemented by the Warriors.
“Just something I thought of before the game,” Dotson said. “I went in the locker room and said, ‘As predictable as I am, I’m going to be unpredictable. We’re going to start in a 2-3 zone.’ It was working, so we just stayed in it. We probably played five minutes of zone all year long before tonight.”
Ridgeview finally broke out of its offensive funk in the third quarter, closing the period on a 10-1 run to pull even.
“We just told our kids to keep playing and keep shooting,” said Ridgeview coach Donnie Frazier. “We know what kind of shooters we have. Just keep shooting and they’d fall. And when they did, we made our run.”
While Ridgeview rallied, Central got sloppy.
“In the third quarter we got out of sync, trying to play too fast and lost our composure and they hit some shots,” Dotson said. “We didn’t attack their press very well.”
The fourth quarter featured five lead changes and Central went ahead to stay when Dee Cvetnich sank two free throws with 1:29 remaining. Junior Olivia Mullins then provided some crucial plays, grabbing a defensive rebound and then draining two free throws with 27.5 seconds remaining to put Central ahead 43-40.
Mullins had actually missed a free throw with 55.6 seconds left, but atoned for that brick.
“I knew I had to make ’em,” Mullins said. “We were only up by one and I figured it was do or die.”
Mullins is among the battle-tested group of players for Central and finished with nine points.
“That’s what you expect out of your point guard,” Dotson said. “You want her out there with the ball and to be able to knock down free throws when it counts.”
Ridgeview’s Bailey Frazier, who finished with 13 points, missed two potential game-tying shots in the final minute as the Wolfpack was left with a familiar feeling.
“We’ve got to figure out how to close the game,” Donnie Frazier said. “That’s the sixth team we’ve played this year that’s got 10 wins or more already and we’ve lost five of those. Every one of them we’ve been in the game in the final two minutes. We’ve got to figure out how to win in those situations. The problem with that is we’re playing kids who aren’t used to playing as many minutes as they’re playing, but they’re getting them right now. Maybe towards the end of the year and we keep playing games like this, it will benefit us in the long run.”
Cvetnich finished with a game-high 14 points for Central in what was a typical battle with Ridgeview.
“They always come ready,” Mullins said. “Always; every game. No matter what the lead is, sometimes you just can’t put ’em away that easy.”
Thus is life in the Mountain 7 District.
“It’s a long season,” Frazier said. “You have to show up every night in this [district] in girls basketball. You can’t take a night off.”
Riding a 17-game win streak which dates back to last season, Central is used to such situations.
“When the fourth quarter is that close, it feels like a lifetime,” Mullins said. “We try to keep poised and we are always excited for each other and there for each other.”
Yeah, the Mountain 7 is so brutal in the girls man. We still haven't played Gate City (Friday) and Union (next week) yet. We could be looking at a 6 game losing streak, yet we're considered one of the best teams in the state in 2A. Crazy.
