Senior Alaina Radcliffe scored eight of her game-high 19 points during a 10-0 run in the first quarter to lead the Buckeye Valley girls basketball team to a 55-42 non-league victory over visiting Highland Wednesday night in Delaware.
Madison Cecil’s three-pointer gave the Scots an early 3-1 lead in the opening frame.
Lisa Leienberger tied it on BV’s next possession and Radcliffe followed with an and-1 conversion, a three-pointer and a lay-in on consecutive possessions to push the lead to 11-3.
“We really preach the intangible side of things — the things that require zero talent — and I think (Radcliffe) has done a great job with that,” BV coach Travis Stout said.
The Barons, who led 35-16 at the half, pushed the lead as high as 21 twice in the third quarter.
“We came out strong,” Stout said. “It always looks better when you make shots. But, I thought we did a great job of taking care of the basketball. We didn’t let their defense bother us a whole lot in the first half.”
Morgan Scowden and Dani Grether had eight points apiece for the Barons (2-2), who snapped a two-game skid.
“I think Coach Stout gives us a lot of enthusiasm and energy from the bench,” Radcliffe said. “He’s always preaching for us to move on to the next play and not focus on mistakes as much. It’s more about moving on and bouncing back from mistakes, and that’s what we were able to do so well tonight.”
Erica Sardinha and Kenzie Fuller each knocked down three-pointers to get the Scots within 41-28 late in the frame, but a Reilly Taylor basket and two Hannah Cowan free throws pushed it back up to 17.
Sardinha’s basket cut the Highland deficit to 45-30 through three.
She hit her second three-pointer of the game to get the Scots as close as 12 in the fourth quarter.
Cecil finished with 14 points to lead the Scots (1-3) and Sardinha added 12.
BV returns to MOAC action Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts Ontario.
“Our goal is to win the MOAC … we’re planning on doing really big things this year. We have really big hopes,” Radcliffe said. “I think tonight got us ready for the MOAC game on Saturday.”
WRESTLING
Upper Arlington 56, Olentangy Orange 19
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Ohio Wesleyan 81, Wabash 74
