GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — There’s nothing quite like warming the bench to give you a chance to reflect that basketball, like all team sports, is a united effort—not an individual endeavor.

It’s a time to get your head back in the game.

Gary TerBush, long-time coach of Tri-Valley’s girls varsity hoopsters (11-7) took that approach on Thursday, February 21 during the home stand contest against the Lady Devils of Roscoe.

According to TerBush, he wasn’t all that pleased with his team’s performance in the two games leading up to facing Roscoe (0-19), so he decided to make a point. He left his starters sitting on the bench, sending in the second-string to play the first period and part of the second frame on the way to a 51-25 win.

The regular starters were back in action for the remainder of the second period and played the entire third frame, until the subs took to the floor again in the final period.

“Out last two games, it was a lot of individual stuff, but they played better tonight,” said TerBush, adding, “My starters needed a message. The last two games were terrible. I think it worked, as they came out with some intensity and smart passes.”

Diana TerBush, a 16-year-old senior point guard for the Lady Bears, said of the game, “We definitely accomplished what we needed to work on. We’ve got to keep up this intensity for sectionals.”

Emily Starner is a 17-year-old guard for Tri-Valley. “Both the seniors and juniors had great intensity. I’m very proud of this team tonight,” she said.

In reply to the question “where do you go from here?" Starner replied, “We hope to take it all through sectionals, then go to states, and win everything.”

Roscoe squeaked past the home team 9-8 in the first period. In the second frame, the Lady Bears mauled the visitors 21-1, taking a 29-10 lead at the half. In the third frame, Roscoe surged back by out-gunning Tri-Valley 13-10. The Lady Bears put the game away as they out-netted the Lady Devils 12-2.

Stats from the free throw line: Tri-Valley 2/6 (33%), Roscoe 3/7 (42%).

Tri-Valley’s leading scorers: Jillian Mungeer (14 points including a two 3-pointers), Jordan Carmody (10 points), and Victoria Swett netted a 3-pointer.

Roscoe: Kayla Zamenick led her team with 11 points including a couple of 3-pointers, while Taylor Roseo posted 8 points.

Becky Ahart said that, in essence, Roscoe's so-far winless season was primarily because the team is very young and inexperienced at the varsity level. “We wish Tri-Valley good luck when they go into sectional…they did a good job,” she said.

Alisha Trautschold, a 16-year-old junior, plays in the post slot for Roscoe. “I think it’s been a tough year because we are young. We needed to find our team dynamics and work together,” she said.

Looking ahead to next season, Trautschold added, “Coming up as a young team, it’s going to take us a little time to rise.”

16-year-old Diana TerBush is a junior point guard for the Lady Bears. Her take of the game? “We definitely implemented what we needed to work on. We’ve got to keep up this intensity for sectionals,” she said.

The Lady Bears starting-five getting a brief time out on the bench seems to have done the trick as they head off to the first round of sectional competition.