Teays Valley & Logan Elm Winners on Day 1 of Brad Morris Classic

Article presented by Pickaway-Ross CTC Adult Education …

The opening day of the Brad Morris Classic went to the teams from Logan Elm and Teays Valley. The Classic, named in honor of sportswriter Brad Morris who passed away a couple of years ago. Morris was a former Sports Editor of the Circleville Herald and co-founder of SprtingPumpkin.com which features Pickaway County sports and their athletes. Here’s a recap of the day of basketball at Teays Valley High School Monday.

Boys: Logan Elm 56, Westfall 34

The Braves scored more than half their points from beyond the arc, hitting ten 3-pointers en route to a 56-34 victory in the opener. 

Owen Russell led the way for Logan Elm with 19-points. The junior dropped in five triples as the Braves took a 30-19 lead into the break. Brady Neff added 12-points for the Braves who improved to 4-3. Westfall’s Bryan Craig (17) and Ethan Rose (11) paced the Mustangs, who slipped to 2-7.

Girls: Logan Elm 80, Westfall 39

The Braves and Mustangs were just three points apart after the first 8-minutes, 21-18, but thereafter Logan Elm pulled away, outscoring the Mustangs 33-7 in the second period. Once the Braves broke the game open, Westfall simply couldn’t overcome the deficit.

The Braves moved to 7-1 overall and the Mustangs fell to 3-6. 

Kiannah Ingram led Logan Elm with 32-points and Reese Baughman tallied 14 for Westfall.

Girls: Teays Valley 51, Circleville 34

Teays Valley saw Circleville work out of a 13-8 hole in the first quarter, closing out the period on a 5-0 run, knotting the game at 13. Midway through the second, the Vikings began to separate themselves earning a 24-19 lead at halftime. 

The Vikings opened the second half increasing the margin to 10 with two quick scores from Areyanna Karshner and Allie Rice. The was the start of a scoring barrage by Teays Valley while the Tigers managed two Addison Edgington free throws in the third. The Vikings finished the quarter leading 41-21. 

Vikings head coach Tracy Rieke was pleased with her team’s defensive effort on Edgington. “Our girls were prepared. We knew what we had to do and we did it to perfection tonight taking her out of the game. Avery Mann did a great job on her – Areyanna Karshner with some great help side on her at every catch – An all around great team effort. A great win for us tonight.”

Karshner praised her teammates for their efforts. “Off the dribble, we work really well as a team. We rotate the ball really well, no one is selfish on this team. I’m really proud of them.”

“They made a lot of shots” said Tigers coach Josh Blakeman after the game. “We’ve got be better. The squeezed the court on us, and we’ve gotta make shots.”We’ve gotta learn from, the loss and not dwell on it and go on and come back to play tomorrow.”

While falling to Teays Valley was disappointing, Maddie Blakeman said the Tigers are loong forward to getting back on the floor Tuesday. “This game doesn’t define us, and we just have to get better. We just need to come out stronger than we did today and get a win tomorrow.”

The Vikings were led by Karshner’s 12-points while Cami Robins and Cooper McManaway scored 10-points each. Edgington led Circleville with 11-points.

Teays Valley improved to 7-1 on the season and Circleville dropped to 6-1.   

Boys: Teays Valley 47, Circleville 43

What appeared to be a runaway for Teays Valley became a nail biter down the stretch. 

The Vikings built a 35-19 lead with 2:37 remaining in the third period as Mitchell Combs laced the nets on back-to-back-to-back three-pointers. But Circleville didn’t roll over. They mounted a comeback nearly catching the Teays Valley at 42-41. The Tigers clawed back on the strength of Kole Nungester’s 10-point run. Riley Jenkins hit a jumper in the paint cutting the Vikings’ lead to one. 

Brody Fields cashed in a pair of free throws for a 44-41 lead, but Nungester hit a deuce with less than two-minutes remaining. That would be all the closer Circleville could get. 

“We hadn’t really been in these kind of situations where, when it gets down to one, two, three points – these close games” said Vikings Coach Brian Barnett. “So we’re learning on the fly.” Barnett said he and his staff knew the Tigers would make a run. “We talked about it at halftime. It’s coming, we just don’t know when.”

“I thought we did a good job early in the fourth quarter of attacking the basket to get them in foul trouble” which would get Teays Valley to the free throw line. The Vikings managed just 5-of-10 free throws in the final minute.

The win lifted Teays Valley to 4-3 while Circleville dropped to 5-2.

Combs led the Vikings with 12-points followed by Jayden Morrison’s 10-points. Nungester was held to 2-points through 3-quarters but had the 12-point avalanche in the fourth quarter to finish with 14-points. Blaine Fowler added 11.

Day 2 Lineup The Brad Morris Classic continues Tuesday at Circleville High School at 3pm with the Teays Valley Girls facing Logan Elm, followed by the Braves Boys and the Vikings at 4:30pm. The Westfall and Circleville Girls play at 6pm and the Mustangs and Tigers Boys play in the night cap at 7:30pm.