Royal Boys Lose 1, Win 1
By Nathan McShinsky

South Royalton took the trip to Twin Valley on Saturday, Jan. 20, and came home empty handed and down a key starter as they had a disappointing 72-43 loss. Tyrell Manning dislocated his shoulder early in the third quarter on a defensive box out and was taken to the Brattleboro Hospital via the ambulance to get x-rays and have his shoulder popped back in. Manning will be out for at least a week. Even though Manning was out for the final 14 minutes of the game, he still led the team in scoring with 10 points. 

The Royals struggled offensively in the first quarter and were slow going in the second quarter as they were only able to put up 9 and 12 for a total of 21 at the end of the half. The defense meanwhile held it close to give TV a small four-point lead at the end of one. The Wildcats put up 26 points in the second to give them an 18-point lead at the half, 39-21. The Royals used a spark at the beginning of the quarter to pull within one, 13-12, with 6:39 left, before the Wildcats went on a 14-0 run. 

In the second half the Royals slowed down the Wildcats and made the game as close as 14 early in the third before Manning had his injury. TV increased their lead to 22 by the end of three for a 55-33 score. Peter Doyle-Braman stepped up for the Royals in the quarter keeping the game as close as it was by putting up 7 of the 12 points in the quarter. The fourth wasn’t much different as again TV put up 17 to the Royals 10. Jake Timian for South Royalton did make the game a positive of some sort, however, as he had his first two points of his varsity career.

Candon Rusin had 21 points for the Wildcats and Jordan Moors added five three’s on his way to 17.

Win @ Chelsea 

The Royals played Chelsea away Monday hoping to end their slump. SoRo came away with a good showing and a win to improve to 4-7. 

At the start of the game both teams seemed jumpy as they traded the ball back and forth. The Royals settled down enough to score 10 points, but this game was all about the defense.

In the second, the Royals’ defense was again solid as the Red Devils were held under double digits. The Royals’ offense slowed down by a basket and Chelsea cut the two-point lead to one at the half, 18-17.

At the end of the third the Royals were in a dead lock tie with Chelsea, 27-27, as the offense was again not all there on either side. SoRo added nine points, seven coming from Nick Enright who would finish with 13.

In the fourth, the teams traded baskets and they both had their best quarter of the game offensively, while they kept their defensive efforts strong. The Royals scored more down the stretch and ended the quarter with a dozen, while Chelsea mustered 10 for a close, two-point, SoRo win. Chelsea took a lead at 32-31, and again at 36-35, with just over a minute left. This only lasted for about 15 seconds before Enright put up a baseline jumper that ended with a swish to give the Royals the lead, 37-36, with just .57 on the clock. Ki Walker added two important foul shots as time ran out, giving the Royals the three-point win, 39-36

The Royals were led by Enright with 13 and Darren Slack who was 4-4 from the stripe on his way to 10 points on the night. The team as a whole was 10-16 from the line. The Red Devils were led by Zeb Allen with 13.

The Royals (4-7) went to Rochester on Wednesday for another CVL match-up and then go to Rivendell on Friday.

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