Basketball Recap: Tyler Takes Loss Despite Strong Performances from Taylor Donaldson and Ryland Henderson

Tyler lost against Ritchie County back in January and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Wednesday. The Tyler Knights fell 66-56 to the Ritchie County Rebels.

Tyler's loss came despite strong showings from Ryland Henderson and Taylor Donaldson. Henderson posted 19 points and four steals, while Donaldson went 5 for 11 en route to 14 points and five rebounds. That's the most points Henderson has posted since back in February of 2024. Another player making a difference was Katie Grimm, who earned 12 points along with seven boards and six assists.

Even though they lost, Tyler smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in five consecutive contests.

Ritchie County found their leader in sophomore Elsa Law, who dropped a double-double on 29 points and ten rebounds. Those 29 points set a new season-high mark for Law. Rae Rupert was another key player, putting up two points in addition to 13 boards, five assists, and five steals.

Tyler's loss dropped their record down to 8-12. As for Ritchie County, the win (which was their fifth in a row) raised their record to 12-4.

Tyler will get a bit of extra time to process the defeat as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on South Harrison at 7:30 p.m. on February 17th. As for Ritchie County, they will challenge Williamstown at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Ritchie County knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 55 points or more in their past three matches -- so hopefully Williamstown likes a good challenge.