Chagrin Falls stayed squarely in the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division title race Jan 9, using sharp ball movement and disciplined team defense to pull out a 37-32 road win over Berkshire.
Chagrin Falls stayed squarely in the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division title race Jan 9, using sharp ball movement and disciplined team defense to pull out a 37-32 road win over Berkshire.
The Friday night victory left the Tigers locked in a four-team logjam at the top of the division with Rootstown, Crestwood and Berkshire, each now carrying two conference losses.
“There were times we had two or three freshmen on the floor, and their ability to handle this pressure was outstanding, and it goes to show the work they’ve been putting in,” said Chagrin Falls Head Coach Brittany Anderson Laseak. “This division is a freaking gauntlet, and every game is important.”
Chagrin Falls wasted little time establishing control. Avery Russell opened the night with a 3-pointer as the Tigers surged to a 7-0 lead. Abby Kay followed with a transition jumper and later set up Zoe Thompson for a basket, helping Chagrin Falls take an 11-4 advantage after one quarter.
The Tigers extended that momentum in the second. Gabby Byrne converted an and-one opportunity early in the period and later found Russell cutting to the basket for a layup, sending Chagrin Falls into halftime with an 18-9 lead.
Chagrin Falls continued to dictate tempo coming out of the break. Olivia Kruse connected with Byrne on a cut for a basket, Daisy Adelman knocked down a long two, and the Tigers pushed the lead to 24-13.
Berkshire responded behind Stella Bateman, who scored twice to keep the Badgers within reach at 29-19 heading into the final quarter.
Berkshire made its final push late. Savannah Smith drained a 3-pointer to cut the margin to 31-25, but Russell answered with a timely triple of her own, reestablishing a comfortable cushion and helping the Tigers close out the win.
“We came to play, and it feels really good to win,” Coach Laseak said. “It’s a great facility, and we had to focus on Berkshire, who’s a really talented team that is great at home. I appreciate their focus at practice this week, along with their mental toughness. I thought our girls did a phenomenal job, and I’m really proud of them.”
With the standings still tightly packed, every remaining conference game carries major implications.
“We have to keep our energy up, work hard in practice, and take that into every game for a full 32 minutes,” Russell said. “We’ve talked about that a lot because we’ve had so many close games, and we’re willing to play the full 32 minutes because we want (to win the conference).”
Russell led all scorers with 18 points. Byrne finished with six points and two steals, while Kruse posted five points, 12 rebounds, three steals and a block. Kay added four points, six steals and four assists.
Despite the loss, Berkshire remains focused on the road ahead.
“We control our own destiny, and we still have to play Crestwood and Rootstown,” said Berkshire Head Coach Dave Albert. “We talk in practice every day, taking it one possession at a time. Whether we’re up or down, it’s one possession at a time.”
Offensive execution is key, Albert said, as the Badgers have struggled to sustain runs.
“We needed to be more patient tonight,” Coach Albert said. “We tried to force too many things, and even when we pushed the ball, we needed to have patience finding the right shot selections.
“We can’t force things into a panic and rush shots, which we did tonight. It’s just a matter of running the offense and getting into positions so we can run our plays.”
Bateman paced Berkshire with eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Ivy Martin and Julia Young each scored five points, and Blythe Bors added four.
Chagrin Falls would return to action Jan. 14 at home against Rootstown, with Berkshire hosting Wickliffe that same night.
