Springs Valley Community High School

Entering the fourth quarter on Tuesday night, the Springs Valley girls' basketball team led Shoals 30-23. The Blackhawks had led the whole game, but the Jug Rox were making a push. Springs Valley was doing its part to keep Shoals in the game as well, having made just 11 of its 45 shots from the field to that point. In the game’s closing period, however, the Blackhawks finally stepped up and started putting the ball in the basket. A pair of steal-and–score opportunities for freshman Maci Eckerty sparked a Springs Valley run that would ultimately end with the Blackhawks winning 43-29. “I think we felt kind of bad about the way we played based on the way we shot the ball, which wasn’t anywhere near as well as we did against Wood (Memorial), but I have to give credit to Shoals. I think they played really hard,” Springs Valley coach Marty Niehaus said. “Defensively we still did our jobs though and we would’ve liked to put up a few more points, but we got buckets when we really needed to get them down the stretch.” For Niehaus, it was reassuring to see her team break out of its offensive slog a bit when the game was on the line. “I was trying to stay calm, hoping that would give them calm, but finally I just kind of got fed up and said that has to stop now and we had to get more stops down here on the other end,” Niehaus said. “Then I think we were able to turn the defense into offense a couple of times, we got those breakout layups that really gave us the gap.” Eckerty finished the game with 12 points, using six in the fourth quarter to claim the team lead and bury the Jug Rox. She also had three rebounds, four assists, and four steals and while she was the guard who sparked the Blackhawks at the end, it was her veteran backcourt foil who got them going at the beginning. After a quieter opening night, Brynne Buchanan stepped up for Springs Valley on its first road trip of the season. The senior poured in six points by the end of the first quarter, matching her scoring total for the entire game against Wood Memorial quickly. She’d go on to finish with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists, and four steals and was a constant steadying force for the Blackhawks as they got the win. “I think in the beginning that was important. Brynne was steady and everybody else seemed to be out of their heads a little bit, but she was steady and kept the ship righted during the early part of the game,” Niehaus said. “I think she maybe got a little tired as the game went on because she had to be out there most of the night, but that senior experience showed up for us out there.” Springs Valley (2-0, 0-0 PLAC) will return to action on Thursday night and in doing so, the Blackhawks will face perhaps their biggest test of the season. They’ll travel to Ferdinand to take on Class 2A No. 1 Forest Park and if they’re to compete with the heavily-favored Rangers, they’ll have to sharpen their approach to the game. “We have to come back with a little more focus. I feel like when you miss a lot of shots you can credit the defense, but part of it is that you’re not focused,” Niehaus said. “I think they had a bit of a preconceived notion that we’d come in here, show up, and get the W and that’s just not how it was going to be. “I think if we get refocused here at practice tomorrow and carry that over to Forest Park, we’ll be a better team.” SPRINGS VALLEY BLACKHAWKS 43 3P;AFG;FT;R;PF;Pts Buchanan, g;3-6;4-11;0-2;5;2;11 Eckerty, g;2-4;4-6;2-2;3;2;12 Shipman, f;0-0;1-2;0-0;4;1;2 Hall, f;0-0;0-7;2-4;3;1;2 Carnes, c;0-0;2-8;2-4;10;1;0 Bonta;0-1;1-4;0-1;1;1;2 Nottger;0-0;2-7;0-0;4;2;4 McCormick;0-1;1-5;0-0;4;0;2 Allstott;0-2;1-6;0-0;1;0;2 Totals;5-14;16-56;6-13;35;10;43 Shooting;.358;.286;.462 SHOALS JUG ROX 29 3P;AFG;FT;R;PF;Pts K. Perry, g;0-1;0-1;0-0;1;3;0 A. Perry, g;1-5;3-8;2-3;1;3;9 Turpin, f;2-6;5-10;0-0;12;4;12 Jordan, f;0-1;1-6;2-2;3;2;4 Shaw, c;0-2;2-6;0-0;6;2;4 Newland;0-0;0-3;0-0;3;0;0 Villanueva;0-0;0-0;0-0;0;0;0 Totals;3-15;11-34;4-5;26;14;29 Shooting;.200;.324;.800 Springs Valley (2-0);13;7;10;13—43 Shoals (0-2);10;4;9;6—29 TO: Shoals 21, Springs Valley 13.