The Green team from South of the River gathered the troops for the bus up I-40 Friday night to northwest Knoxville to visit the Grace Christian Rams. The dedicated staff of SORSN.com (notably minus the editor, who chose a chalet in Gatlinburg over high school basketball) along with a small but loyal contingent of Green Wave fans were on the scene to continue our award winning coverage of all things sports South of the River. By the time the night was over, the Midway teams had earned a split with the hosts, with Coach AC Woody’s Lady Waves rolling 52-31, while the Gentlemen went down in flames, 83-32.
We joined the Lady Waves game already in progress as the Lady Waves ran to a reported impressive 33-23 halftime lead. The third quarter was a defensive struggle with Midway tallying three points to Graces four. Midway’s Kat Beard, was the offensive threat with a couple of power moves to the basket that resulted in making 3 of 4 free throws. Midway’s team was attacking the basket, but just could not get any shots to fall. Grace answered with a long two point basket, and Coach Woody had seen enough of the starting five at the 3 minute mark. Woody made wholesale substitutions to allow the starting five to catch their breath, and to make some..um…shall we say coaching adjustments with her starters. The third quarter mercifully ended with the Lady Waves leading 36-27.
Whatever the former Loudon Redskin point guard said in the huddle must have worked (rumored mention of ridge running?) as the Green Team that returned in the fourth quarter was much different. The starting five reappeared and Midway picked up the pace, especially offensively. Hali Morris started the charge by getting a bucket to make it 38-27. Grace answered to bring the lead back to single digits, 38-29. Lady Wave’s Haley Parks then exerted some defensive pressure, forcing a couple of turnovers that turned into baskets and suddenly Midway led 41-29. Morris added couple of freebies, Parks converted a turnover into a basket, Haley Ladd put back a rebound and Midway was suddenly in comfortable control, 47-29. Midway’s Kat Beard stretched the lead to 20, 49-29 before Grace could answer to make it 49-31. The Lady Waves salted it away down the stretch with a free throw from Beard and a basket from Danielle Borum to make it a final 52-31. The Lady Waves run their record to 3-7 on the season, 3-1 in conference. This win was career victory number 13 for Coach Woody, just 983 behind Coach Pat Head Summitt’s career mark of 996 victories.
While the Lady Waves got untracked in spurts, the Gentlemen were stuck at the starting gate as the Grace team gave the Waves trouble from the opening tip. Coach Ruffner’s (X2) troops never really established an offensive rhythm as Grace’s pressing; aggressive (fouling) full court defense led the Rams. The first quarter basically looked a lot like this, Grace full court pressure D leads to Midway turnover, Grace converts on the other end. Unofficially the Rams turned the Waves over 10 times in the opening quarter and sprinted to a 28-7 first quarter lead. Grace’s Cameron Pridemore proved that he was the real deal this night in leading the Rams to a 13-0 lead early. Three timeouts were needed before the Waves could break the press, set an offense and get a bucket by Wakon Robinson to remove the goose egg. Midway’s matchup zone struggled to find Grace’s shooters early and Pridemore and Brent continued to provide the early sparks for Grace. Midway’s Zach Hall got a put back basket and Robinson converted a three pointer to make it 28-7 as the quarter ended.
The Green Team started the second frame with a bit of a spark, led by a strong move from post/wing freshman Thomas Viar and a bucket by Steve Blasko. This provided the Green some hope at 28-11. Graces big men answered with back to back basket while working on Midways defensive matchups to stretch the lead to 33-11. Midway’s #34 Blasko hit a pair of free throws and Blasko blasted off again to make it 33-15. Grace once again answered the call with a spurt that effectively ended it before the half. Turnovers in the backcourt and an unsportsmanlike technical on Midway cost the Waves a six point trip. The half ended with a big block by Wakon Robinson that was trumped by a buzzer beating three ball from the corner by Grace’s Pridemore. It did not look good at the break for Midway with Grace leading 50-17.
The third quarter was better for Midway offensively and defensively as Grace went to a half court trap, but Green turnovers still led to Ram baskets. Zach Hall, Blasko, and Viar provided the offense for the Waves in the quarter but the Rams led 69-26 to finish the third frame.
The fourth quarter was much of the same, with Midways Viar making a nice face up move from the wing to close the scoring for Midway. The final in a runaway, Grace 83-Midway 32. Grace runs its record to 7-4, 3-0 in conference and on a collision course with Rockwood for the league lead. Midway falls to 4-8 overall, 3-3 in conference.
Midway returns to the court on Tuesday at home taking on the bituminous rockheads from Coalfield. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 and tickets are still available.