2/26 Circleville (24-0) v Vinton County (19-5)

[Bulldog84]

I think VC will surprise some people in this one. I would like to see VC set up an offense a little in this one. I like to move the ball around some and wear the defense down some. I know they like to get out and run and shoot the three but that doesn’t always work. Good luck to both teams.

[bman]

Vinton County is a scary team with its depth and ability to hit the three. Should be a good game.

[LeftHanded]

I think VC will surprise some people in this one. I would like to see VC set up an offense a little in this one. I like to move the ball around some and wear the defense down some. I know they like to get out and run and shoot the three but that doesn’t always work. Good luck to both teams.

That's what I've been stuck on. It would be nice to see that, but Circleville has a ton of size. So I think it may come down to tempo (as a lot of games do). VC probably wants a hectic fast-paced full court game and Circleville might want a slow half court game.

[bballman78]

I think Bentley is the biggest jerk in girls basketball that’s why no one in the southeast wants to help him

[Marauders19]

Bentley definitely doesn’t win a popularity contest outside Vinton County and it’s obvious that he doesn’t care . Like him or not his kids are always prepared and play hard I’m excited for this one. Tvc only team still alive in tournament

[LeftHanded]

I think Bentley is the biggest jerk in girls basketball that’s why no one in the southeast wants to help him

Thank God the team is playing and not the coach

[thebarlowbandit]

I think Bentley is the biggest jerk in girls basketball that’s why no one in the southeast wants to help him

Haters gonna hate! Best coach in the area, with Coach Coalgrove from Warren. Those two get it done!!!!

[vcgrad]

A lot of teams in the area would love to have him------ask Logan.

[Drippy96]

Bentley definitely doesn’t win a popularity contest outside Vinton County and it’s obvious that he doesn’t care . Like him or not his kids are always prepared and play hard I’m excited for this one. Tvc only team still alive in tournament

Trimble is still in it. Last time I checked they are still in the TVC.

[Bulldog84]

Bentley definitely doesn’t win a popularity contest outside Vinton County and it’s obvious that he doesn’t care . Like him or not his kids are always prepared and play hard I’m excited for this one. Tvc only team still alive in tournament

Trimble is still in it. Last time I checked they are still in the TVC.

Yes, Trimble is still in it and they are currently in the TVC.

[VC93]

Is it about being popular or winning?
Most sensitive people do not like to be pushed to their potential.
VC by 8
Go ahead and hate.

[LeftHanded]

Common Opponents: Alexander, Athens, Chillicothe

Circleville vs. Alexander: 58-36 (+22)
Circleville vs. Chillicothe: 47-31 (+16)
Circleville vs. Athens: 61-34 (+27) (Tourney Game)

Average Point Differential: 21.6

Vinton County vs. Chillcothe: 77-35 (+42)
Vinton County vs. Alexander: 63-51 (+12)
Vinton County vs. Athens: 36-67 (+31)
Vinton County vs. Alexander: 40-33 (+7)
Vinton County vs. Athens: 72-40 (+32)
Vinton County vs. Chillicothe: 71-39 (+32) (Tourney Game)

Average Point Differential: 26

Take it for what you will. We don't have a lot to use when comparing two teams who haven't played each other!

[KRS]

Not going to be able to attend this one. I have said all season Circleville is the team to beat in the district and I will stick to my original prediction. Tigers by 13. Best of luck to both teams, either would represent well in the regionals.

[LeftHanded]

Game Day.

[cubs1984]

Radio?

[LeftHanded]

Radio?

98.7 WYRO. Should be able to stream online once it's closer to gametime

[hawkeyepierce]

First, I cannot take credit for this. This is a different author, it has made its way on facebook, but sums up perfectly Coach Bentley, our team, and their mindset. Please take a moment to read.

In the second grade, Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench was asked what he wanted to be. He said a ball player and they laughed. In the eighth grade, they asked him the same question, he said a ball player and they laughed a little more. By the 11th grade, no one was laughing. Johnny Bench said, “There are too many false things in the world, and I don’t want to be part of them. If you say what you think, you’re called cocky or conceited. But if you have an objective in life, you shouldn’t be afraid to stand up and say it.”

In November, 2014 Coach Rod Bentley said, “I honestly believe we can compete with anybody in our league. We’re not looking to be in the middle of the pack, we’re looking to be one of the top teams. That’s our goal. One of the reasons I took this job was to get us to be one of the elite teams in this area. We have some kids which can help make that happen.” Today, the Lady Vikes have won BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK TVC Championships, three sectional championships and, like the previous two years, just punched another district title game ticket. With those accomplishments has come much criticism. Coaches, players and fans of opposing teams don’t like it when we win year after year, or win by 30 or 40 points. They don’t like it when the Lady Vikes are up by 20 and Coach is shouting (during a timeout) to his players, “The score is ZERO to ZERO!” because he sees the girls taking it easy for a few possessions. They don’t like it when the starters are still in the game a couple minutes into the 4th quarter and the score is lopsided in our favor. People say we’re cocky and conceited, or trying to showboat our strength, but here’s the bottom line: Coach Bentley said from day one on the job, “…we’re not looking to be middle of the pack; we’re looking to be one of the top teams.” If you don’t like that, please understand, it’s not about you. It’s about us. It’s about achieving our goal of being the best. It’s not to humiliate our opponents as some would suggest; it’s about winning EVERY possession. If you get lazy in practice, or lazy against a weaker opponent, you will not develop the mindset to win every possession against a stronger opponent. Misunderstand Coach Bentley, or misunderstand this team and its intentions if you want, but everything they do is about building a winning mindset, not just on the basketball court now, but for 10 years down the road.

In January 2019, the Lady Vikings defeated the Lady Bulldogs after forcing 29 turnovers moving them to a 15-0 record for the year and Coach Bentley was asked how the team prepared for that game. He said, “We prepared for this game like we prepared for Alexander, or Meigs, or Nelsonville. Each game, we don’t really look at anybody else’s record, we continue to keep to the one game at a time mentality.” Basically, who we’re playing doesn’t matter as much as our efforts to become an elite basketball program. Weaker or stronger, we’re going to play hard until the last buzzer. So don’t take it personal when we’re up by a large margin and you hear Coach say things like, “SHOW NO MERCY…” I’ve read social media comments and heard people say things like “you’ll get yours” after we “ran up the score” on them, or beat them for the third or fourth time in a row. Then when we get beat by a good team, they mock or applaud our defeat. If that makes you feel better about losing again, fine, but again, it is not about you and your feelings toward us isn’t going to change our intensity or direction.

We’ve had our share of disappointment over the last several years. In February, 2018 the Lady Vikings lost a district final game to Washington CH by a score of 69-53. Coach commented, “We’re proud of our team, our efforts and what they did for us. It was a good year but we’re hungry! Whenever you get to this level, I think it makes you hungry and want to get better…we want to get there again next year.” Next year came, and on February 27, 2019, the Lady Vikes traded punches with Washington CH, but fell again to the Lady Blue Lions, 47-45. Thoughts on that game were, “We just got to keep positive, find something good out of this and get ready for next year. We’ll be back in the gym in 31 days, and start this journey all over again.” Again, it’s about reaching our objective to be an elite basketball program.

Next year is now here. In a few short days, the Lady Vikings will once again enter the gym for a District Final matchup. It doesn’t matter that the bracket has Circleville’s name, or that they’re undefeated and ranked #1. What matters is that the section under “District Champs” on the girl’s basketball banner in the Viking gym is empty. What matters is that the Lady Vikings made their goals clear and aren’t going to stop until they achieve them. Criticize if you want to, call them cocky and conceited or overrated, it doesn’t matter. They don’t carry buckets of gravel up a hill at 6am for you. They don’t flip oversized tires in the summer heat for you. They don’t give up their summer breaks going to basketball camps and tournaments to play some of the top teams in the state for you. They do it for themselves. They do it because they’re hungry. They do it because they are a Viking.

I like to use the hash tag #BeAViking #MakeWar. I don’t mean make war in the sense that you wound your opponents, or literally pillage and plunder your enemy. I say it in the sense that you make war on whatever it is that keeps you from accomplishing your objective. Make war on negative thoughts. Make war on hesitation. Make war on laziness. Make war on doubting yourself. Pillage and plunder until those things that keep you from being the best are stripped and conquered. That’s what it means to #BeAViking.

Coach Bentley said once, “We always say we come from a one red light town, but it’s a green light. Everybody has the green light to shoot those threes.” Ladies, you also have the green light to #MakeWar next Wednesday evening. The opponent doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’ve stated your objective. You stood up and said it. Now go for it. I am behind you. Viking Nation is behind you. So in the words of Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, let’s “drive our ships to new lands…”

[Bulldog84]

That post has me ready to do battle! Great post!

[vcgrad]

GO VIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To be the best -you have to BEAT the Best!!!!!!!!! Viking Pride!!!!!!

[Raider6309]

Can VC finally make it to over the hump