By Jim Mashek, Sporting Times
LEXINGTON — The Bowling Green High School girls basketball team found some resourcefulness in the second quarter in the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen quarterfinals Friday morning at Rupp Arena.
Ultimately, though, Sacred Heart Academy took the Lady Purples out of their comfort zone. The Valkyries took control after halftime and coasted to a 66-54 victory over Bowling Green.
Bowling Green had no answer for Sacred Heart point guard Triniti Ralston, who hit 16 of 20 free throws and led the Valkyries with 26 points, four assists and three steals. Without a single turnover.
Sacred Heart improved to 23-7 on the season and will tangle with either Anderson County or Franklin County in Saturday’s semifinals. The Lady Purples finish 19-11, after making their third Sweet Sixteen in four seasons under Coach Calvin Head.
Sacred Heart’s press forced 29 BGHS turnovers, nine in the third quarter alone.
“We were a little unsettled there, a little rushed,” Head said. “Their pressure was a little overwhelming in spots, and we turned it over a few too many times.”
BGHS junior center LynKaylah James, who was named to the all-tournament team, finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds and four steals. BGHS sophomore guard Tanaya Bailey scored 13 of her team-high 15 points in the second half, while sophomore forward Meadow Tisdale finished with 11 points and six rebounds. “They gave us everything we could handle,” Sacred Heart coach Donna Moir said. “(Ralston) has the ball in her hands most of the time. She kept her composure. She got to the basket, she got to the free-throw line.”
James and senior point guard Kiyah Gray joined Head at the podium after the game, and Gray, a 4-foot-11 dynamo coming back from an ACL injury last season, became emotional while trying to field a question in the press conference.
“This young lady (Gray) missed all last year with an ACL,” Head said. “She had her best games in the postseason .This team has grown this season. When we are able to get to the top of the mountain, we’re going to bring kids like Kiyah back to be a part of it.”
Gray had nine points and three rebounds in her final game with the Lady Purples.
Bowling Green fell behind in the early going but came to life in the final four minutes of the first half. The Lady Purples trailed just 29-28 at the break, and the Valkyries appeared to be on the ropes.
That all changed in the opening moments of the third quarter. Bailey gave the Lady Purples their last lead of the game on an inside basket before the Valkyries’ defense took over.
Four Sacred Heart players — Reagan Bender, Alexandra Wolff, Olivia Kaufman and Angelina Pelayo — all finished with eight points apiece. Josie Gilvin had seven of the Valkyries’ 17 steals in the game, forcing Bowling Green to play catch-up the entire second half.
It’s been a banner year for Bowling Green basketball, as the BGHS boys and girls teams each won their first-round game in the Sweet Sixteen. The Lady Purples needed two overtimes to knock off Bishop Brossart 50-48 on Wednesday.
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