BURTON — Chagrin Falls leaned on crisp ball movement and disciplined defense to earn a 37-32 Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division win over host Berkshire on Friday, keeping itself firmly in the thick of the league title chase.
The victory keeps the Tigers alongside Rootstown, Crestwood, and Berkshire in a tightly packed race atop the division.
“There were times we had two or three freshmen on the floor, and their ability to handle this pressure was outstanding, and it goes to show the work they’ve been putting in,” said Chagrin Falls head coach Brittany Anderson Laseak. “This division is a freaking gauntlet, and every game is important.”
Chagrin Falls set the tone early.
Avery Russell opened the scoring with a 3-pointer as the Tigers raced to a 7-0 lead. Abby Kay followed with a transition jumper and later assisted Zoe Thompson, pushing the advantage to 11-4 after one quarter.
Gabby Byrne added an and-one finish early in the second, then found Russell on a backside cut for a layup that sent the Tigers into halftime with an 18-9 lead.
The Tigers continued to control the pace in the third.
Olivia Kruse hit Byrne on a cut for a basket, Daisy Adelman knocked down a long two, and Chagrin Falls built a 24-13 lead. Berkshire stayed within striking distance behind a pair of baskets from Stella Bateman, trimming the margin to 29-19 entering the fourth.
Berkshire made its push in the final quarter, cutting the deficit to 31-25 on a Savannah Smith 3-pointer. Russell answered with a timely three of her own, restoring a nine-point cushion and helping Chagrin Falls close out the win.
The result created a four-way tie atop the CVC Valley Division, with the Tigers, Rovers, Red Devils, and Badgers each carrying two league losses.
“We came to play, and it feels really good to win,” Coach Laseak said. “It’s a great facility, and we had to focus on Berkshire, who’s a really talented team that is great at home, and I appreciate their focus at practice this week, along with their mental toughness. I thought our girls did a phenomenal job, and I’m really proud of them.”
With every team still controlling its own destiny, the final stretch of conference games looms large.
“We have to keep our energy up, work hard in practice, and take that into every game for a full 32 minutes,” Russell said. “We’ve talked about that a lot because we’ve had so many close games, and we’re willing to play the full 32 minutes because we want (to win the conference).”
Russell led all scorers with 18 points. Byrne added six points and two steals, while Kruse chipped in five points, 12 rebounds, three steals and a block. Kay finished with four points, six steals and four assists.
For Berkshire, the focus remains on the bigger picture.
“We control our own destiny, and we still have to play Crestwood and Rootstown. We talk in practice every day, taking it one possession at a time,” said Berkshire head coach Dave Albert. “Whether we’re up or down, it’s one possession at a time.”
Albert pointed to offensive execution as a key area for improvement after his team was unable to generate extended runs.
“We needed to be more patient tonight. We tried to force too many things, and even when we pushed the ball, we needed to have patience finding the right shot selections,” Albert said. “We can’t force things into a panic and rush shots, which we did tonight. It’s just a matter of running the offense and getting into positions so we can run our plays.”
Bateman led the Badgers with eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Ivy Martin and Julia Young each scored five points, while Blythe Bors added four.
Chagrin Falls hosts Rootstown on Jan. 14, while Berkshire hosts Wickliffe the same night.
