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Rams catch fire in second half

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By John Bombatch

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ENON — Just before the first half of Wednesday night’s Greeneview girls basketball game on the road against Greenon High had ended, Rams coach Tim Hoelle could be heard yelling at his team to get more aggressive and to make the open shots they would get, maybe force a few Knights turnovers along the way, and do what they could to get some easy scores the other way.

It sounds almost polite when you read it in a newspaper.

It didn’t sound nearly that polite when Hoelle was giving his players, um, … heck!

Greeneview responded in the second half. They outscored the youthful upstart Greenon contingent 43-16 in the second half to claim a 67-30 nonleague win.

“I just reminded them to try and get back to the style we normally play, and to just be aggressive with the basketball offensively, and to be aggressive and try to force some turnovers on defense,” Hoelle explained. “And when we started doing those things, we started playing a lot better.”

Greeneview’ balanced scoring attack saw four Rams starters finish in double-figure scoring and one almost get there.

Sydnie Sonneman led Greeneview (12-3) with a 17-point evening, and nine of those points came in the second half. Faith Strickle finished with 13 points, Frankie Fife added 11 points, Emily Rinehart put in 10 points, and Kristin Combs finished with nine.

Greenon’s Mackenzi Waddle and Bailey Benedict kept their team within striking range in the first half. The host Knights trailed 24-14 at the break, with Benedict scoring seven points, Waddle adding six and Maleigha Young knocking in a first-half free throw. It’s never fun to lose, but Greenon coach Gary Falkenbach remained encouraged by his team’s play.

“We knew that they could shoot lights out when Greeneview was on, and so that’s why we went with a 1-3-1 zone most of the time,” Falkenbach explained. “We just wanted to try and have a hand on the ball at all times. I thought we did a good job.

“If we’d have made layups in the first quarter, we may have done even better. Overall, I was really happy with the way we played tonight. … We’re much improved from where we were at the beginning of the season.”

Waddle finished with a team-high 10 points, Benedict was held scoreless in the second half to finish with seven, Mariah Gossett scored five second-half points, Young finished with four, while Courtney Brinkman and Kylee Gmuca each scored two points for Greenon (2-14).

“We’re taking steps forward. I ask them to give it their best and leave it all on this court, and that’s what they did tonight. That’s all I can ask for,” Falkenbach said.

Both teams have league contests on Saturday.

Greeneview plays at Mechanicsburg at 7 p.m. Saturday night, while Greenon will host Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan for a 12:30 p.m. afternoon contest.

Greeenview’s Sydnie Sonneman (34) weaves her way through four Greenon Knights to score in the first half of Wednesday night’s game in Enon. Sonneman finished with a game-high 17 points and Greeneview won the game, 67-30.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/01/web1_SonnemanScore.jpgGreeenview’s Sydnie Sonneman (34) weaves her way through four Greenon Knights to score in the first half of Wednesday night’s game in Enon. Sonneman finished with a game-high 17 points and Greeneview won the game, 67-30.

Greenon’s Mackenzi Waddle (33) dribbles around Greeneview’s Kristen Combs during Wednesday’s girls high school basketball game at Greenon High School. Waddle led the Knights with 10 points scored. Combs had nine for Greeneview.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/01/web1_WaddleDribble.jpgGreenon’s Mackenzi Waddle (33) dribbles around Greeneview’s Kristen Combs during Wednesday’s girls high school basketball game at Greenon High School. Waddle led the Knights with 10 points scored. Combs had nine for Greeneview.

By John Bombatch

[email protected]

John Bombatch can be reached at (937) 372-4444, Ext. 2123.