Turpin Tops Ross 59-40 in Holiday Hardwood Classic
CINCINNATI, OH – The Turpin Spartans used a hot shooting performance and strong second-half defense to cruise to a 59-40 win over the Ross Rams at the Cintas Center, as part of the Holiday Hardwood Classic.
The game had an interesting subplot, as Turpin head coach David Lane was an assistant coach at Ross last season, adding an extra layer of intensity to the matchup.
Isaac Hooper was the standout performer for the Spartans early on, hitting three 3-pointers in the opening quarter to give Turpin a solid 19-11 lead after one. Hooper continued his strong shooting in the second, knocking down another three to extend the lead to 25-13. Ross responded with a couple of three-pointers of their own, cutting the deficit to 25-20 with 2:40 left in the half. Both teams kept the three-point barrage going, but Turpin maintained control and led 30-20 at the break.
Ross came out of halftime with renewed energy, calling a timeout midway through the third quarter to regroup. The Rams went on a run and trimmed the lead to just five points, 34-29. However, Turpin quickly answered with a clutch three-pointer from Joe Lafkas, and the Spartans regained momentum, pushing the lead back up to 47-34 by the end of the third.
The fourth quarter was more of the same, as Turpin maintained their comfortable lead and did not allow Ross to get any closer. The Spartans controlled the pace and held off any late charge from the Rams, securing a 59-40 victory.
Joe Lafkas was named the Beacon Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Player of the Game for his key contributions, including a timely three-pointer in the third quarter and solid all-around play.
With the win, Turpin improves to 3-4 on the season and 2-3 in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC). Ross, meanwhile, falls to 4-4 overall and 0-2 in the Southwest Butler County League (SWBL).
Turpin will look to build on this win as they continue conference play, while Ross will aim to bounce back in their upcoming games.
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