Coach Hayley Spivey (second from left kneeling) and her players had to make major adjustments after losing star Timberlynn Yeast to a preseason knee injury. (Larry Vaught Photo)
George Rogers Clark coach Robbie Graham is no stranger to state tournament play or understanding how difficult it can be to have a successful season going into tonight’s game against 12th Region champion Mercer County.
That’s why he appreciates what Mercer coach Hayley Spivey did this year. Her team started the season 4-10 after a preseason knee injury to Miss Basketball candidate Timberlynn Yeast that ended her season. Now the Titans have won eight straight games and 17 of their last 20 after beating Danville in overtime to win the 12th Region.
“She has done a fantastic job. If there was ever anybody who should be coach of the year candidate in the region or state, it is her,” Graham said. “To lose your Division I star and get where she is, hats off to her.”
Spivey said her team had to make major adjustments after losing Yeast, a Division I signee at Buffalo.
“We had people in new roles and figuring out how to win games without her (Yeast). We had to change our offense and defense,” Spivey said. “I am proud of how we responded. Timberlynn is an extraordinary player. We knew we were going to have to replace her 25 points and 12 rebounds. She led us in every stat. We knew one person could not do that. It had to be by committee.”
Tenth Region winner George Rogers Clark beat Mercer 54-48 on Feb. 3 when Briana Byars had 19 points and 12 rebounds and sister Ciara Byars had 16 points and eight rebounds. Freshman Teigh Yeast had 26 points and 11 rebounds for Mercer while Anna Drakeford had 15 points and nine boards.
“Teigh for half the season was only 13 years old. She finally came into her own and has taken on a role to replace a lot of what her sister did,” Spivey said.
Graham said Teigh Yeast was a “tough matchup” for his team.
“She was driving and pulling up,” the GRC coach said. “They all played hard for 32 minutes. There was no quit or give up in them.”
Spivey knows GRC’s size with the Byars is a mismatch for her team.
“We are not very big and they are. The larger court could benefit us and help with their size. We always have mismatches because we do not have a lot of size,” Spivey said. “Playing DCA (Danville Christian) in the region may help us.”
GRC has one other edge on Mercer — state tourney experience. The Titans do not have a player who has played at Rupp while GRC has three starters back off last year’s state team.
“We will not be in awe of the area. Our experience will help us get over that. we can just focus on Mercer and go do what we need to do,” Graham said. “If you don’t have jitters, you should go do something else. But I don’t think we will be in awe.”
