Jake Dorow

PDT Contributor

LUCASVILLE — Getting burned from outside the entire game, the Valley Indians answered with the most important 3-pointer of the game ending a ferocious fight from the Wheelersburg Pirates in an SOC II showdown at Valley High School.

Down the entire game, the Pirates (4-2, 2-1) seemed to make deep ball after deep ball to answer anything the Indians (4-2, 3-0) threw at them. However, it was Chris Flowers’ 3-pointer for Valley in the final minute that sealed the deal, defeating Wheelersburg, 56-51.

Leading 51-46 midway through the fourth quarter, Pirates senior guard, Clay Massie hit two free throws after a steal making the score 51-46.

“We got down big early but our kids scrape,” Wheelersburg head coach Tom Barrick said.

On the following possession, the Pirates turned once again to Massie, who hit four 3-pointers in the game, this time hitting his biggest 3-pointer of the night, tying the game at 51-51 with just over a minute remaining.

“They had some kids who played the games of lives shooting the ball tonight,” Valley coach Scott Rolfe said.

With time running down, the Indians saw an open Flowers standing in the left corner. The go-ahead 3-pointer from Flowers with 29 seconds remaining sealed the victory for Valley, staying unbeaten in the SOC II.

“He has confidence in his shot and it worked out for us tonight,” Rolfe said.

Flowers finished with eight points in the game.

Valley got off to a fast start, racing out to a 7-0 run while Wheelersburg struggled to shoot in the first quarter. The Indians shot 64 percent in the quarter, outscoring the Pirates 19-10.

“We were able to be aggressive enough to get the ball and second chance rebound and execute,” Rolfe said.

However, Wheelersburg caught fire in the second. Massie, who finished with 14 points, six rebounds and four assists, hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull ‘Burg within 27-26. As a team, the Pirates made four deep balls in the quarter, cutting the lead to 32-29 at halftime.

“We have to go from the first quarter on, we can’t wait until the third quarter to play aggressive and let someone out-hustle us,” Rolfe said.

The Indians responded, starting on an 8-2 run in the third quarter, pushing their lead to 40-31. Playing catch up for the remainder of the game, the Indians Zach Shope hit a 3-pointer to give Valley a 49-42 advantage.

Valley travels to Clay next Friday as Wheelersburg plays host to Alexander this upcoming Saturday.

Wheelersburg 10 19 11 11 - 51

Valley 19 13 12 12 - 56

Wheelersburg- E. Miller 2-0-5, Cowgill 2-0-5, Massie 4-2-14, D. Miller 4-2-12, Moore, 2-6-10, Claxon 2-0-4, Spradlin 1-0-2

Wheelersburg 3-pointers- Massie (4), E. Miller (1), D. Miller (2), Moore (1)

Valley- Flowers 2-2-8, Shope 4-3-10, Howard 2-0-4, West 4-2-11, Dunn 7-1-15, Clark-Holbrook 2-0-2, Rolfe 0-1-1, Brown 1-0-2

Valley 3-pointers- Flowers (2), Shope (2), West (1)

Records: Wheelersburg (4-2, 2-1), Valley (4-2, 3-0)