Stephens shoots New Lex past Tri-Valley
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DRESDEN — Isaiah Stephens wasn't going to let New Lexington lose on Saturday afternoon.
The junior guard scored all 18 points for the Panthers in the fourth quarter as they walked out of Tri-Valley with a 53-50 victory in a battle of Muskingum Valley League Division leaders.
Stephens made five 3s in the final stanza before converting the game-winning three-point play with 22 seconds remaining, while the Scotties' Max Lyall missed his 3-point attempt at the horn.
Stephens made 10 of 19 field goals, 5 of 8 behind the arc and 5 of 6 at the line to go with four rebounds for New Lex (13-2, 9-1).
"If I got the looks, I was going to let it fly," remarked Stephens, who finished with 30 points. "We came in with a mindset that we weren't going to back down. We showed we could play with their physicality and speed, and we knew we were capable of winning."
A fourth quarter to remember
Tri-Valley (10-3, 7-1) seemed in control going to the fourth. Terrell Darden scored 12 of his 18 points in the third frame, including a layup before the buzzer, to put the Scotties up 42-35.
Stephens hit back-to-back 3s on the first two possessions of the fourth, while Tri-Valley committed a pair of turnovers.
Nohah Nichols, who had 14 points, then scored on three straight possessions to stretch the Scotties' advantage to 48-41 with five minutes left, but Tri-Valley followed with five turnovers on its final six possessions.
It opened the door for Stephens and the Panthers as he knocked down three triples, including one to tie it at 50 with 42 seconds left.
Darden then turned the ball over to New Lex's Bentley Hanson, who found Stephens for the layup and game-winning three-point play.
New Lexington coach Jeremy Duerr was not surprised by Stephens' heroics.
"He's the type of player who needs to see one go in," he said. "He just needs a little bit of space, and he plays with so much confidence in big moments. It was an unbelievable performance."
Defense stands strong for New Lex
Tri-Valley made 21 of 38 field goals and 4 of 8 behind the line and owned a 23-12 edge on the boards, but seven of its 14 turnovers came in the final quarter.
The Scotties presented a challenge with their size and athleticism, but Duerr praised his team for not being intimidated.
"We went toe-to-toe. We weren't scared of the moment and played with no fear," Duerr noted. "We knew defense would be key. We forced some turnovers late to give us a chance. I felt we sped them up and played with physicality, really getting up into them."
New Lexington had a different intensity from the opening tip, and Stephens believed that approach gave the Panthers a chance.
"We're not as big as them, but we were physical and came out with energy," he said. "We all gave our best effort. We knew if we played well on the defensive end, the offense would follow."
Another test awaits
Bentley Hanson added 14 points and three assists for New Lex, which has little time to celebrate with Maysville visiting on Tuesday.
New Lex has a one-game cushion in the loss column over Coshocton in the Small School race, while Maysville sits one game behind Tri-Valley in the loss column in the Big School Division.
"Our No. 1 goal was to win the league title because it hasn't been done in 70 years," Stephens said. "That's important to us. We'll celebrate this one, then we'll move onto to Maysville. We control our destiny, but Coshocton has already beat Maysville, so we know the stakes."
Duerr saw the leadership in the locker room and knows his squad's mindset.
"We have another big game. After I talked, our seniors stepped up and said, 'Onto the next one,"" he said. "(Maysville's) another good opponent, and we'll have to be ready to go."
bhannahs@gannett.com; X: @brandonhannahs
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Stephens' heroics propel New Lex to victory at Tri-Valley
