Ben Logan uses 22-0 run to blow out USV

By SEAN BLEVINS

Times sports editor

BELLEFONTAINE — Ben Logan’s defense routinely turned steals into easy buckets and they blew out Upper Scioto Valley 60-24 in nonconference girls basketball action Monday night at Ben Logan.

The Raiders (1-0) only trailed once in their opening contest of the season, 5-4, before breaking it open. The Rams (1-2) went over 10 minutes without a point spanning from early in the second quarter to just under the halfway mark of the third quarter as Ben Logan reeled off a 22-0 run to go up 38-9.

“We firmly believe that generating offense out of defense is the best way to go,” Ben Logan coach Greg Saylor said. “You can be the best coach on the planet and you’re not going to draw up a better play than a wide-open transition layup. It just doesn’t happen in our league. We want to make passing the ball difficult. If they beat us off the bounce, we will adjust to that. I think we executed that in droves tonight. We’re athletic, we like to get out and run. Everyone was ready to go. I attribute that to our senior leadership — Lahna Cook and Adilynne Gregg got everyone going.”

Four Ben Logan players reached double figures, with sophomore guard Kylie Harner having a game-high 12 points. Senior leader Lahna Cook had 10 points, along with junior post Adilynne Gregg and freshman guard Daylin Varner.

“This group is unselfish moving the basketball. We talk about being 1 out of 18 instead of just being one. Out starters were kind of salty about having to sit out in the fourth quarter because we were up by a lot. We have three nonconference games before we open up Central Buckeye Conference play. We want to win the CBC, that’s our focus. Winning games to get us there is a big deal,” Saylor said.

Gregg got the scoring started with an easy shot off the glass and Harner made it 4-0 with a putback.

USV freshman guard Chloe Cunningham drilled a 3-pointer and then scored off of an inbounds pass from sophomore guard Layla Hunsicker for a 5-4 lead. That turned out to be the last time the Rams were ahead.

The Raiders retook the lead, 6-5, after a layup by Gregg. Cook canned two technical free throws for an 8-5 edge with 4:39 left in the first quarter.

Varner tacked on two layups and USV freshman guard Ruby Risner made a long deuce to get it to 12-7 Ben Logan.

Kaylee Hays, a sophomore guard, made a 2-pointer in the closing seconds of the first quarter to help Ben Logan to a 14-7 lead.

Harner started the second quarter by driving straight to the basket for a layup, giving Ben Logan a 16-7 lead.

USV senior guard Shalyn Lawrence spun and got a tough layup to fall to cut it to 16-9, but the Rams struggled offensively the rest of the way. Shots weren’t falling and they were getting hounded by Ben Logan’s swarming defensive pressure.

Cook splashed a contested 3-pointer for a 21-9 lead. Varner extended it to 25-9 with a steal and a bucket.

Harner had the last four points of the first half for the Raiders as they took a 32-9 lead into the break.

“One thing we like to do is mix up defenses on the fly. It’s hard to play against that. We executed it. Players make plays. We have 18 players that really love basketball. I’m blessed to coach this group,” Saylor said.

Ben Logan sophomore guard Molly Siefring threw a shot off the glass and in to get the third quarter scoring started. Gregg followed with two easy deuces and Ben Logan’s lead ballooned to 38-9.

Sophomore guard Raegan Castle made a layup to end the long scoreless drought for USV to trim it to 38-11 with 3:49 left in the third quarter.

Gregg and Harner each made a 2-pointer for a 42-11 Ben Logan lead. Hunsicker kicked it out to Lawrence for a 3-pointer to shorten it to 42-14.

Castle and Lawrence each made a free throw in the third quarter and the Rams went into the fourth quarter down 42-16.

Hunsicker got a steal and finished after using a spin move for an early fourth quarter bucket, which made it 42-18.

USV played its freshman lineup late in the game and they did well despite the game being so far out of hand. Araya Boyd made a pair of deuces and Bentley Lopez added a 2-point field goal.

Ben Logan sophomore guard Bonnie Brunson made two layups in the closing minutes and freshman guard Hailey Smith closed out the scoring with a layin for a 60-24 final.

Smith recorded seven points. Elliott Butler and Brunson each had four points. Hays had two points. Miley Buettner had one point.

Lawrence led USV with six points. Cunningham contributed five points. Boyd tallied four points. Castle posted three points. Risner, Lopez and Hunsicker each had two points.

Ben Logan rallied to win the two-quarter junior varsity contest 18-17.

Next up, Ben Logan plays at Bluffton Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. USV plays at Continental Saturday at 11 a.m.