by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter    
    Twin Valley hit three-pointers at a record pace, but Buffalo Gap answered with a few well-timed shots of its own.
    The Bison put several small runs together, including a 7-point spurt after the score was tied with just over two minutes remaining to hold off the Lady Panthers, 50-44, in the Group A, Division 1 semifinals Wednesday night at the Siegel Center in Richmond.
    Twin Valley set several three-point records, for the game and the tournament, individually and as a team.
    Sarah Mullins tied one state record and broke another on her way to a game-high 23 points. The junior guard hit seven three-pointers to tie the single game mark, and Mullins set a Group A tournament record for threes made in a three-game tournament (12). The Lady Panthers also set Group A records for most made threes in one game (11) and in a three-game tournament (18).
     "It wasn't the record we wanted, we wanted another win," Twin Valley coach Rick Goodman said. "But it's something to make the girls feel good, and it shows that we at least showed up."

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by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter    
     Twin Valley did what it set out to do with number 22, defensively.
      It was the number 30, however, that did in the Panthers.
     Thirty turnovers helped Nelson County to a 48-42 win over Twin Valley in the Group A, Division 1 semifinals Wednesday night at the Siegel Center at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
     The Panthers had the slow tempo they wanted and defended Nelson County star Thomas Nelson, who wears uniform number 22, well, but turnovers were a factor from beginning to end in a game that was close throughout.
     Twin Valley had more turnovers (18) than points (17) in the first half, but opened the game on a 7-2 run and led much of the half thanks to its 2-3 zone defense. The Panthers (21-8) held Nelson County without a field goal in the first quarter and to 14.4 percent shooting (4-of-28) overall in the first half.
     The second-ranked Governors (27-1) missed their first 11 shots from the field, but still managed an 18-17 halftime advantage. Two free throws by Hunter Simpson at the start of the third quarter gave Twin Valley its only lead of the second half, 19-18.
     Nelson County took a 32-30 lead into the fourth quarter. A steal and two free throws by Twin Valley's only senior, Jory Rife, evened the score at 38-38 with 3:23 remaining. Good ball movement by Nelson County against the Panthers' trapping defense led to a weakside layin and a 3-point play from guard Chris Jones that gave the Govs the lead for good, 41-38, with 3:08 remaining.
     Exactly one minute later, Hunter Simpson got the Panthers within 42-40 with a runner at the 2:08 mark.
     Twin Valley then turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions, the first two with the deficit still at two points.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.