Vinton Co. 9-3, (5-1) @ Athens 12-1, (6-0) ..Fri. 1/29

[javagt]

Great comeback win .... V.C. will need to regroup... They are a good team...

[Ironman92]

scored 26 in 3qtrs and 32 in the final qtr.....WOW

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

Did I hear right that VC made only 5 of 13 free throws in fourth quarter?

[diamondD1]

That sounds about right. I will also add (and I don't have official stats, but I would guess) that Frank Valentour probably had 18-20 of Athens 26 points in those first three quarters. No one else was hitting anything, and he was an animal. But then Maffin hit two timely threes, and Colin Pfaff (who was on the bench early in the 3rd with 4 fouls) came off the bench and took matters into his own hands. Free throw shooting was key. Athens hit nearly all of theirs, VC missed most of theirs.

Also, much credit is due to Coach Skinner. He adjusted his game plan when he saw what must be done. I thought it was a brilliant move to have his team begin fouling with 2 minutes left in the game. I was surprised at how conservative VC played down the stretch. They obviously wanted to keep the tempo slow and controlled (and rightly so, being they had the lead the entire game). But Athens fouling them and putting them on the line turned that around.

Athens has now shown twice that they can play both up tempo, man-to-man if they have to, as well as their more desired patient, slow-tempo game.

What a fun game to be part of. Thanks for the entertainment guys.

[forthekids]

Athens and the refs win by 3

This was your excuse at Logan as well, must be a trend a conspiracy against VC.
Was Athens to physical for you as well?

[misterfrank55]

Same old song and dance. VC never loses a game by themselves. Good luck Athens.Too bad they stumbled against jackson.

[Ironman92]

I don't see how the Jackson game has affected them in a negative manner at all.....Jackson blew them out by 26 and they haven't looked back since. Good Coaching, sticking to what's important.

[AxGrinder]

Tonight was the night that proves what team should be and is in 1st place in the TVC. The Bulldogs were behind the entire game, with 2 mins to go it looked very bleak for the dogs but they never gave up, their hearts definitely were not going to let them lose. This game was won tonight by courage, poise, and heart. I am so proud of this AThens Bulldog team and the coaches. They never gave up.

As for all the whining about the refs, all the Vikings had to do was make free throws going down the stretch but they didn't and Athens did. The refs didn't decide this game the players from AThens decided. THey were not going to lose.

14 - 1 overall, 8 -0 in the league. Next up Alexander on Tues at AThens. Keep this streak alive dawgs.

P.S. I also would like to say this was the biggest crowd I had ever seen at an Athens game. Thank you fans for coming out and supporting the players, coaches, and cheerleaders.

[Spartan]

What a great game by both teams. The Athens fans came out in masses. I didnt recognize a lot of them there, but they were on their feet cheering on the Bulldogs. I was thinking maybe the Viking faithful would outnumber the Athens faithful, but that did not happen.
Probably the best comeback I have ever witnessed. Down 10 with 2 minutes to play it looked like it was nearly over. The Vikes missed freethrows down the stretch and the Bulldogs made big play after big play. The Bulldog defense was stifling during the comeback, and Collin Pfaff ( who sat out quite a bit in foul trouble) just took over. The Dogs stayed competitive on the offense of Frank Valentour, and Pfaff took them home scoring the last 15 points. Lots of big plays by lots of players on both teams. Maffin with a couple of timely 3's, Stanley with a steal and big rebounds, Butcher with a couple of short range jumpers late, and for the Vikes, Guthrie was a man child.

I hope the Bulldogs can keep their focus, next up, cross county rival Alexander.

Go Bulldogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CoyDuke]

Athens and the refs win by 3

Quit whining around about the officials. This kind of stuff makes all VC fans look bad. Vinton outplayed, outcoached, outhustled, out everythinged Athens for almost the whole game, but didn't finish the job. Were there some questionable calls/no calls at the end? Sure. But there always are. It came down to the Athens kids wanting it more, making there FT's and doing whatever it took to win

[OneHitWonder]

Athens and the refs win by 3

It came down to the Athens kids wanting it more

No disrespect CoyDuke

But, I hate it when people use this term. I was at the game and from what I saw the Vinton Co. Kids played their a** off. I'm sure they "WANTED' it just as bad as the Athens kids did. As you stated it came down to Vinton Co. not making foul shots. And I'm sure that the crowd might have had something to do with their poor shooting. A packed gym with a thousand people screaming durning free throw attempts might have had a effect.

[AxGrinder]

Athens and the refs win by 3

Athens had 17 fouls called on them, Vinton had 17 fouls called on them. Vinton shot 19 foul shots, Athens shot 20. Sounds pretty even to me. The key was Athens made theirs, Vinton didn't. Refs had nothing to do with that.

[AxGrinder]

Great article in messenger. AWESOME picture!

[3sportdad]

While it IS true that the fouls were called in even numbers, ANYBODY watching that game and NOT seeing the carries and traveling that was NOT CALLED just plain and simply wasnt paying attention to the game. The late jump ball that was called was another miscue by the officials. I realize that not everbody is going to see everything, every time, but IMHO, the officails in this match-up WERE a deciding factor in the outcome. THIS SHOULD NEVER BE THE CASE!!! At any level of play, at any venue, PERIOD! I think the TVC and ALL leagues should have an uniterested party evaluating the officials at ALL games. Enough questionable calls by any official, and that official should have to answer to the league, and his credentials be on the line. I think this would put an end to the HOME-TOWN ref syndrom.

Heard a RUMOR that the TVC was considering going to a pool of officials that would be assigned BY THE LEAGUE, not hired by the schools. Maybe this is the answer. After EVERY game, someone accuses the officials of BAD/MISSED calls (Am I wrong??)!!!!!

[hawkeyepierce]

It was a well officiated game!

Down the stretch there were two questionable calls: under a minute, the held ball situation between Butcher and Grillo resulting a possession change, Butcher was obviously trying to foul, but he got his hand on top of the ball resulting in the jump ball call. The other was Lawhead being knock to the floor in a obvious fouling situation and turning the ball over, however, that may be a reflection of "wanting it more." However, these calls could have went either way and were not bad calls and it DID NOT CAUSE US TO LOSE. I am with Coy Duke, it makes Vikings fans look petty.

Give Athens credit; Vinton County dominated the game for 29:30 of the game, and all those years of playing "havoc ball" and Coach Skinner's decision to foul early, and I will say it, Athens wanted it more, and our inability to recognize end of game situations and hit free throws cost us.

Congratulations to Athens on their impending TVC Championship.

[AxGrinder]

Thanks Hawkeye. We appreciate the credit. And we love playing in the TVC with VC.

[AxGrinder]

By the way, is the internet down in Dundas???

[AxGrinder]

Just messing with you Dundas.

[hawkeyepierce]

He is at work. He will have something to say, I am sure.

[Dr. Naismith]

In all truth the officials did not side with either team... yes there were some BAD calls (not to mention a lot of no calls) but these calls went both ways and the officials were consistent. I think that's really what you have to look at. Bad calls are going to be made in every game but if the officals are consistently bad then there is really nothing to complain about.

VC and Athens were both getting a lot of no calls but the game came down to the last 3 minutes of the game and the kids from Athens showed unbelieveable heart. I like Coach Combs, but i can say he might have gotten a little out-coached in this one by trying to play it conservative and taking their foot off the accelerator when they could have buried Athens by 20 or so.

VC came in with a great game plan for 3 and a half quarters and figured out how to beat the kids from Athens but made a huge mistake by playing it conservative and letting Athens back into the game by getting away from their game plan and most importantly missing freethrows in the last 3 mins. I think i counted 4 for 11 from the charity stripe in the last 3 mins.