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Trotwood girls get amazing fourth-quarter run

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By Kyle Nagel, Staff Writer 11:15 PM Saturday, December 19, 2009

TROTWOOD — At halftime, the Trotwood-Madison High School girls basketball team trailed Vandalia Butler 30-14, and the Rams’ locker room was a little tense on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

“We got in there, and I said, ‘Where are you guys at? Really, where are you?’ ” said Trotwood coach Star Weng. “When they came out, they were a little more fired up.”

In fact, the Rams went on to complete one of the more inspired finishes we’re likely to see in prep basketball this season. Still down 42-23 after three quarters, Trotwood outscored Butler — which was the top-ranked Division I team in the DDN area ratings — 33-6 in the fourth quarter to win 56-48.

Trotwood outrebounded Butler, which boasts three D-I college signees in its lineup, 16-0 in the quarter and made 19-of-23 free throws in the second half.

The Rams, who finished 11-10 last season before Weng joined the team as coach, had come close against Fairmont, the area’s new top-ranked team, and led another local power Xenia by 10 points before faltering. Weng, who said she can go 11 players deep, said she was waiting for a complete game.

It might not be considered a complete game, but it was an amazing final period.

“For me, I know what these girls are capable of,” Weng said. “With all the texts and e-mails I got, I guess I realized how big of a win it was.”

Xenia battles in OTs

Late in the game against Springfield on Tuesday, the Xenia boys were down and the outlook was gloomy.

“We were teetering on the brink of 0-4,” said coach Kent Anderson, “and that might have been disastrous.”

Instead, the Buccaneers topped Springfield in two overtimes before beating Fairborn in another overtime win Friday.

Back from the brink, Xenia is 2-3 and 1-1 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference South Division.

Anderson is trying to work the same magic he did in leading the girls team, which finished 20-2 and state-ranked last season. Anderson moved to coach the boys in the offseason, and after three losses to open the year has them gaining confidence.

“With the girls, a lot of times they’re more rigid and you have to free them up,” Anderson said of the difference between coaching girls and boys. “With the guys, they’re more free and you try to get them more structured.”

Tough stretch for CJ

The Chaminade Julienne boys have become part of a strong area D-II pool in losing only to Dunbar by five and beating Beavercreek, Dayton Christian and Carroll by 56, 47 and 33 points.

The Eagles now enter a defining three-game stretch during which they’ll play Meadowdale (Tuesday), Marshall (Sunday) and Trotwood (Dec. 28).

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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