Moss outshines Russell as Troy rolls Athens
BY JAKE LOURIM
STUDENT CORRESPONDENT
j.lourim@comcast.net
TROY — Monday’s heavyweight fight was University of Buffalo signee Karin Moss of Troy vs. Oakland signee Sinclair Russell of Troy Athens.
After 27 minutes of punch-for-punch, Moss took over.
The senior dished out seven assists in the second half, and her double-double led four Colts in double-digit scoring in a 58-45 girls basketball win over Troy Athens Monday.
“Karin had a very good second half. She came out with a fire under her, and could do anything she wanted, it seemed, in that second half,” Troy coach Dennis Koch said.
Moss was not permitted to interview after the game.
After Troy romped Athens, 63-37, on Dec. 6, 2011, the Red Hawks came out and didn’t allow Troy to get into the full-court press that suffocated them earlier in the season.
“In general, our composure was much better,” Athens coach Lindsay Noble said, adding that she wanted her team to push the ball up the floor before Troy got a chance to set up.
Junior guard Sabria Cotton picked up her fourth foul just nine seconds into the third quarter, and it appeared Troy was on upset watch until Moss (12 points, five rebounds, 10 assists, seven steals) took over.
Moss’s 3 tied the game late in the third, but Athens came back on the break to go up by two again. Russell’s basket with 5:21 left put the Hawks up by three, but that would be their last bucket until the game was sealed with 22 seconds left.
Moss didn’t score a point in the ensuing 16-0 run, instead drivingand kicking to four different scorers. Russell was good, but she didn’t have enough help as Troy jumped into the passing lanes and forced seven fourth-quarter turnovers.
“I always say miscommunication,” Noble said. “Thinking someone’s coming to the ball, that’s probably the biggest key. We (also) missed some easy baskets down low.”
Moss’s assist to McCuish put Troy up for the first time in two quarters, but the Colts kept going for four minutes. Athens had no answer.
Noble was still happy with her team’s improvement.
“The Troy-Troy Athens rivalry is huge,” Noble said. “All teams get up for this game, and on our court, we just basically said, ‘What do we have to lose?’”
The Hawks’ 10 first-quarter fast-break points put them down only three. In the second quarter, Koch benched Moss for a disciplinary issue as Athens went on a 12-0 run to end the half up by six. Troy didn’t score in the last six minutes with its floor general sitting.
Troy won the turnover battle 26-10, mostly in the half-court with quick guards Moss, Cotton, and Katy McCuish. The senior McCuish, sophomore Sydney Heath, and sophomore Rachael Zelmanski scored 12, 11, and 10 points, respectively.
(Jake Lourim is a junior at Troy High School and part of the AdaVan Media Group / www.northoaklandsports.com Student Correspondence Program.)
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