Grafton locks on Lincoln, remains unbeaten with 50-29 win – West Virginia Metronews

Grafton, W.VA. – Harttsel Keener puts a goal for the Grafton’s Girls basketball team to hold opponents to less than 40 points in each trip.

On Wednesday against Lincoln, Bearcats made it better for its main coach.

Grafton never gave up and pressed against the couges after halftime, keeping visitors to three goals at the second half, as Bearcats gradually pulled away to win comfortably, 50-29.

“Protection is our identity,” Kiner said. “I said under 40 is the goal throughout the year. I prefer to be in the mid-30s. Every time we hold a team under 40, we will be able to succeed and put ourselves in a place where we will be able to win the section. “

The cougars (7-10) have entered, won five of their last six competitions and began a solid start, using a three-dedicated Sylvie Salerno and the subsequent Basket for Adriana Elder for 5-2 leads.

But when Grafton (17-0) countered with Natalie Beltner’s jumper and then arranging Kenna Keener, Bearcats were in front to stay, as it marked the beginning of 15 points unanswered for the home team.

Hope Dever’s troika from the corner made 17-5, and Bearcats settled for a lead of 20-9 after forcing 11 rpm in the start of 8 minutes.

“We had some speeds that we still need to remove,” said Lincoln Rob Hawkins’s chief coach. “We were trying to throw it through people instead of walking people. When we were working with the ball around, we got good pictures and did a good job. Their athleticism has been defensively affected by many speeds. “

Lincoln also started the second quarter in a strong way, receiving a close-range bucket from Salerno and Auna Rockwell to the 20-13 path.

Rockwell scored 4:35 before halftime to bring LHS within 22-15, but Kiner countered with a conventional three-point game before the Beltner arrangement increases GHS to lead to a dozen.

Keener and Dever made the late-half layouts, which helped Bearcats open their lead to 32-17, although Rockwell and Brastol Tote combined for the last four points of the half time to cut the coug deficit up to 11 at the break.

Lincoln shot a lot of respected 7 for 16 in the opening half, but tried eight less shots from Grafton, who made 13-from-24-24 attempts at field goals.

Keener began the second half with buckets at the back, before Trey from his teammate Jazaline Ray to leave Bearcats with a lead 39-21 at 5:40 on the third.

The placement of Elder scored the first points of Lincoln from the second half, but the cougars were limited to four points in both the third and the fourth frame, while making only 3 of the 16 shots after halftime.

Grafton went to the fourth with 41-25 leads.

The second half was also played at a slower pace, with Bearcats often working with the ball on what became longer possessions, which in turn led to less possessions for both teams.

With the result, Bearcats provided their 12th victory this season with double numbers and remained unbeaten.

“I took it at night and day after day. I don’t want to look at the next one. I’m worried about the one in front of us, “said coach Kiner.

Kiner led all players with 19 points and nine fights. She made 8-from-12 goals attempts and directed her team to an advantage 28-23 on the boards.

Beltner scored 11 points to give Grafton a second double -figure goal scorer. Ray added nine and Dever scored eight.

Grafton received all 50 points from his initial five.

“All five bring a set of skills to the table,” said coach Kiner. “I want to release good offensive kits and who ends with the open look is who I want to make basketball. If this is a touch of paint and kick, we will shoot the rock. If they are penetrated, they pee and we are able to drive him out, well. If Hadley and Kena can use their athleticism, pull the ball and move this defender and reach the rim, I am completely pleased with it all. “

Salerno led Lincoln with nine points, and Rockwell added six to defeat.

The Cougars reduced their turnover after the opening neighborhood and ended with 23.

“They are athletic and the speed of their team is quite good, which hurt us a little. We just have to continue to improve, “said Hawkins. “We fought them on boards we didn’t always do. Keener is a great offensive rebund and we did a decent job by trying to take a body on it. “