It was a good run, but the Blacklick Valley Vikings unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Thursday. They took a 67-58 hit to the loss column at the hands of Turkeyfoot Valley Area. Blacklick Valley was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Turkeyfoot Valley Area apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in December of 2023.
Several Vikings players turned in solid performances, despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Gino DiPaolo, who scored 16 points along with five rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points DiPaolo has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Jordan Kotelnicki, who scored 11 points along with five rebounds and two steals.
Blacklick Valley struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only two offensive rebounds. That's the fewest offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Turkeyfoot Valley Area's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Bryce Nicholson, who scored 18 points along with seven steals and five assists. Nicholson is absolutely dominating the steal category: he's posted at least two every time he's taken the court this season. Zack Ryan was another key contributor, almost dropping a triple-double on ten points, ten rebounds, and nine blocks.
Blacklick Valley's loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 10-6. As for Turkeyfoot Valley Area, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games, which provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season.
Blacklick Valley will head out on the road to take on Northern Cambria at 7:15 p.m. on Monday. As for Turkeyfoot Valley Area, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Union at 7:15 p.m. on Monday. Union presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Turkeyfoot Valley Area in their respective states (Union is ranked 92nd in West Virginia, while Turkeyfoot Valley Area is ranked 451st in Pennsylvania).
