Defense leads Wilken Page to the state tournament | Sports

Page Lady Patriots trainer Ron Brock preaches defense and rebound. Those sermons made all the difference on Saturday night in a 63-53 win over Clarksville Northwest, which will send Page to the TSSAA State Championship tournament for the first time in school history at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro next week.

District 11-AAA and Region 6-AAA champions followed Lady Vikings at 17-12 at the end of the first quarter after blasting a dismal 4-of-14 off the ground (28.6%) and on both ends The ricochet bounced back on the floor. What fiery advice did the coach give the team during the quarter break?

“I haven’t told them anything. I just let them play. You’re so good. “

Brock’s confidence in his team was demonstrated when Page exploded 21 points in the second quarter, led by Lili Wilken with ten points, while Northwest only held four free throws and took a 33-21 lead at halftime, an advantage that has never been questioned.

“Defense spurs insult,” Brock said. “We had some steals and sales that we converted, but I have to put them on defense to start the offense.”

The Page defense held Northwest without a field goal for twelve minutes, a stretch that covered the end of the first quarter through the second and up to the 6:25 mark in the third quarter when Tiamea Scott picked up her only points in the verse. Lady Vikings’ top scorer was only 14 points that night, well below her annual average of over 20.

“I think we knew we had to stop [Scott]”Wilken said.” It’s obviously very good. But we resumed our defense and recovery in the second quarter and kept it at a few points. “

Wilken led Page with 27 points, blew five threes from the outside and consistently drove into physical defense for lay-ups, drew fouls or kicked out on other occasions.

“If she gets hot we’ll go to her,” commented Brock. “She’s using her body well now; She is a grown woman who now plays basketball, not just a little girl. It is physical. You saw that when she drove to the basket she is not afraid of anyone and she will go up against everyone. “

McKenzie Cochran added 17 points for Page and hit 9-of-10 off the line in the fourth quarter. Sadie Porter threw in all eight points in the third quarter to keep the Lady Vikings in check.

Page (22-7) will face Maryville (25-6), a 56-27 winner on the road in Sevier County, in a nightcap this Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Brock may be more excited about the trip than his team.

“It feels so good. So good for these girls, this school, this community. I can’t wait for Thursday night.”

PHS 12 21 14 16 63

NWHS 17 4 14 18 53

PAGE (63) Lili Wilken 27, McKenzie Cochran 17, Sadie Porter 8, Abigail Ward 5, Braley Bushman 2, MC Pike 2, Brooklyn Burrow 2.

NORTHWEST (53) Taimia Scott 14, Kayin Howell 10, Nia Bagerty 9, Emylyan Cobb 8, Neishna Dailey 8, Aniega Briscoe 4.

3 points: page 6 (Wilken 5, Ward); NW 5 (Dailey 2, Cobb, Howell, Bagerty)

FTs: pages 17-21 (81.0%); NW 12-17 (70.6%)

PFs: Page 21, NW 19

Fouled Out: Cobb (NW)

Sales: page 8, NW 12

Half time: 33-21 pages

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