Abingdon's Lauren Baker, right, drives the ball as Pulaski's Sophia Hanson defends.
TIM HAYES
Bristol Herald Courier
REGION 3D
ABINGDON, Va. - It was transition time in more ways than one for Abingdon High School's girls basketball team.
First, the Falcons started Tuesday night's VHSL Region 3D tournament quarterfinal game fast thanks to running the fastbreak phenomenally en route to a 70-57 victory over the Pulaski County Cougars.
"We were definitely flowing, attacking the rim and doing what we're good at," said Abingdon junior Annsley "A.J." Trivette. "That's getting up and down the floor."
Secondly, Abingdon (18-9) has adopted a new mindset for the postseason after a helter-skelter campaign that featured a fourthplace finish in the Mountain 7 District regular-season standings.
It's go time for a team that likes to go fast.
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"It's game by game," Trivette said. "We could look back on the season and say yeah, we played a few bad games, but right now we're just focused on the main goal and that is to win a championship."
Pulaski County coach Scott Ratcliff was certainly impressed with the version of the Falcons he witnessed on Tuesday.
"I didn't realize they were that fast," Ratcliff said. "They move the ball faster than anybody we've played this year."
The Falcons trailed just once the entire game - at 3-2 in the opening moments - and built a 12-point advantage by the midway point of the second quarter.
Many of those points came on layups or pull-up jumpers in transition. Chloe Reynolds (19 points) and Lauren Baker (17 points) were the beneficiaries of several onpoint outlet passes from Trivette.
"When Annsley rebounds hard and our backline crashes the boards too our guards know they can get out and we want to push on offense anyway," said Abingdon coach Jimmy Brown. "We were able to get behind 'em a few times and get some easy ones. That kind of eased us in."
Pulaski County (18-6) pulled within 59-54 with 3:45 remaining, but Abingdon responded as Trivette scored the game's next six points.
"The first half killed us, man," Ratcliff said. "I think they scored 20-some points on just us not getting back on defense. If that doesn't happen and we don't foul out three people, I think we've got a different ballgame."
The real difference-maker was Trivette, however, as she poured in 30 points.
"She's everything that's advertised," Ratcliff said.
A player who has received dozens of NCAA Division I scholarship offers, Trivette broke out her full repertoire on Tuesday. Her moves are smooth and her skills are varied.
"She looked really good on offense tonight," Brown said. "She got to the rim, made a few jumpshots and got to the free throw line. When she's firing like that on offense, not only is it good for her it calms everybody us down."
After transferring from Richlands to Abingdon following her freshman season, Trivette has been even better in Year 2 with the Falcons.
"I felt comfortable last year," Trivette said. "But it's definitely easier this year playing with people I know."
Abingdon gave up 14 3-pointers in a 56-53 loss to Ridgeview last week in the finals of the Mountain 7 District tourney. Pulaski hit eight shots from beyond the arc, five of which came from senior Taylor Goble.
"We knew they were going to come down here and give us all they had," Brown said.
Goble is one of the best pure shooters in the Class 3 ranks and finished with a team-high 19 points.
"She's been a good player for us for four years," Ratcliff said.
Morgan Vest added 14 points for the Cougars.
"We won 70 percent of our ballgames after losing our two leading scorers from last year," Ratcliff said.
Meanwhile, Abingdon is hoping history repeats itself.
The Falcons won the 2024 Region 3D tournament as a fourth seed and beat Lord Botetourt in the regional semifinals.
Fourth-seeded Abingdon plays Botetourt (21-3) on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Pulaski County High School with a state tournament berth on the line. The Falcons lost to the Cavaliers 54-36 back on Dec. 28.
"It feels like the 15th year in a row," Brown said. "We always seem to find each other. Hoping we could maybe meet in the finals, but it is what it is. I know they'll be ready and we'll be ready and hopefully, it's a great high school A basketball game."
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