Friday night’s Conference 32 girls basketball first round game between Hidden Valley and Christiansburg had been on hold for four days due to snow and freezing temperatures.
Once the ball finally went up in the Titan gym, Hidden Valley was a hot as an afternoon on a tropical beach.
Rolling out to a 28-4 lead after one quarter, the Lady Titans never looked back as they dominated the Blue Demons 70-35 to advance to Monday’s conference semifinal at #2-seed Abingdon.
Hidden Valley will look to avenge a 70-59 loss to the Falcons last month in Abingdon, one of only four Titan setbacks on the season.
“We were able to practice for two days during the closing,” Hidden Valley sophomore standout Drew Freeland said after the game of the Titan’s strong showing. “We’ve been intense after our loss to Cave Spring. Now, it’s one game at a time. We lost to Abingdon down there the last time, so we owe ’em one.” Freeland finished with a game-high 23 points for Hidden Valley.
Hidden Valley was playing its first game since their double overtime loss to rival Cave Spring eight days earlier, and the Titans came out with purpose.
The trademark Hidden Valley defense reared its head early. By the time Christiansburg scored its first basket of the game over halfway through the first quarter, the Titans enjoyed a commanding 16-2 lead. Hidden Valley finished the opening frame with a 12-2 run and quickly had the Blue Demons on the ropes.
The Titans kept the pedal down in the second quarter and went to the halftime break up 43-12.
“It was key getting the early big lead,” Titan junior Hailey Singleton noted. “The rest of the game is so much easier with that cushion.” Singleton scored 15 points for Hidden Valley to go along with sophomore Senia Garay’s 13 points.
Hidden Valley settled any question of the outcome in the third quarter and led 62-24 heading to the final eight minutes as Titan head coach Randy Bush had the luxury of playing his bench without reservation.
“After the weather delays, I was eager to get back,” Bush said. “You’re concerned about being a little slow or being flat. We had two days in the gym, but you can only go against yourself so much. We’ve got three big scorers, but if one has an off night, we have fourteen others who can pick it up.”
Hunter Stallard led the Blue Demon attack with 9 points, while Kelley Davis netted 8 points for Christiansburg.
Bill Turner
