Loggers' woes continue in loss to rival Trojans

The smell of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies will be emanating from Troy today.

For the past 15 years, retired school teacher Sylvia Maffit bakes cookies when any Troy team wins against Libby, and last night’s 49-40 boys varsity victory was “worth three or four dozen,” Maffit said.

The Loggers’ woes continued last night at Ralph Tate Memorial Gym, as they again started off competitively but fell short in the end. Troy showed their shooting skill early, hitting three shots from behind the three-point arc in the first quarter. In that spurt, Troy pulled out to a commanding 16-8 lead over the home Loggers.

Libby fought hard, though, clawing their way back to just a two-point deficit at the end of the first quarter. They erased that Troy lead in the opening moments of the second quarter with a strong basket from center Michael Curtiss.

Collin Johnson and Zander Peterson both took trips to the free throw line, and each split the opportunities to put Libby up 20-18. Troy’s Sean Opland then drained another three, his second of the night, to put Troy up by one.

The second quarter was a game of back and forth, as the teams traded baskets and turnovers. Strong work in the paint by Curtiss put Libby up by one, 28-27, with just seconds left in the first half. That lead disappeared as the clock expired on a jumper from Gage Tallmadge. Troy took a 29-28 lead into the locker room and never looked back.

Troy poured in four more long balls, with two other field goals, in the third quarter and ended the period with an 11-point lead at 45-34.

The Trojans opened the fourth with a lay-up from Sean Opland, extending their lead to 13 before Libby started to fight their way back into the game. The Loggers went on a six-point run with Troy in a drought that lasted until just 1:22 remained in the game.

That run was not enough to erase the gap in which they found themselves after the third, though, and after a long two minutes of exchanging fouls the game ended in a 49-40 win for the visiting Trojans.

Libby coach Josh Bean offered a brief comment on the way into the locker room after the game, “they shot the hell out of the ball tonight.”

Troy coach Jerry Mee complimented the Libby boys, “they worked hard out there tonight, they played hard.” Mee characterized the game as a “hard-fought battle” and praised his team for stepping up, especially they players that usually play more in a supporting role. “Our other guys really stepped up tonight when the defense keyed in on Gage Tallmadge,” Mee said.

Tor Opland, Sean’s father, was ecstatic after the game, “We’re not going to be the team that gives Libby their only win this year, like we were last year,” he said.