By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

CHESAPEAKE — Terra Stapleton is a big player at 6-foot-4. On Wednesday, her performance matched her size.

Stapleton scored 29 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, had three steals and blocked eight shots to lead the Fairland Lady Dragons to a 46-40 win over the Chesapeake Lady Panthers in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“She made some great plays for us,” Fairland coach Jon Buchanan said of Stapleton. “Terra came up big in the fourth quarter and so did Kelsey Riley. A lot of Terra’s success was due to Kelsey getting the ball to her in the right spot.”

Riley had five assists to go with six rebounds in support of Stapleton as Fairland improved to 13-0 overall and 6-0 in the OVC.

Chesapeake coach Chris Ball praised his team’s defensive effort, but he said it was frustrating that all their efforts weren’t enough to slow Stapleton.

“Our defensive scheme and effort was pretty good, but I felt like we were in a biddy league game where the other team has the biggest player and they threw it into her and we couldn’t stop her,” said Ball.

“We were all over her and she has good hands and she found a way to get the ball and score.”

Amanda Ruffner led the Lady Panthers (10-4, 3-3) with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. Jordan Porter added 12 points and eight rebounds.

Ruffner and Porter had six points each as Chesapeake took a 15-9 irst quarter lead.

Stapleton went to the bench with a pair of fouls in the first quarter but returned in the second quarter and scored 10 of Fairland’s 11 points and it was 26-20 at the half.

Fairland held Chesapeake to four points in the third quarter to trail 30-28 and Stapleton scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Lady Dragons to the win.

“We challenge our kids at the half,” said Buchanan. “Ruffner and Porter had their way inside in the first half. They’re two of the better inside players in the area. Our defense in the second half was great. We held them to 14 points.”

Ball agreed that the Lady Dragons’ defense was the difference in the second half.

“We let their pressure get us out of sync. They forced us into a lot of bad decisions,” said Ball.

On Monday, Fairland hosts River Valley and Chesapeake entertains South Point.

Fairland 9 22 8 18 = 46

Chesapeake 15 11 4 10 = 40

FAIRLAND (13-0, 6-0): Terra Stapleton 11 0 7-8 29, Katie Fuller 0 0 0-0 0, Kayla Swiger 1 1 0-0 5, Jaimie Phillips 1 0 0-0 2, Chandler Fulks 1 0 0-0 2, Lauren Poe 1 0 0-0 2, Kelsey Riley 2 0 1-2 5, Kerie Napier 0 0 1-2 1, Haley Woodall 0 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie Riley 0 0 0-0 0, Caitlin Stone 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-52 9-12 46. 3-point goals: 1-7. Rebounds: 32 (Stapleton 14, K. Riley 6). Assists: 11 (K. Riley 5). Steals: 14 (K. Riley 3, Fulks 3, Stapleton 3). Blocked shots: 8 (Stapleton 8). Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.

CHESAPEAKE (10-4, 3-3): Amanda Ruffner 4 0 6-6 14, Jackie Nelson 1 0 1-2 3, Sarah Rice 0 0 0-0 0, Sydnee Hall 1 0 1-2 3, Maggie Smith 3 0 0-0 6, Mackenzie Moore 1 0 0-0 2, Jordan Porter 3 0 6-10 12. Totals: 13-39 14-20 40. Rebounds: 30 (Ruffner 10, Porter 8). Assists: 9 (Ruffner 3). Blocked shots: 3 (Ruffner 3). Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.