Girls Basketball: Boyd’s skill set on display as Ridley rolls over Garnet Valley

RIDLEY TWP. — Lindsay Boyd can impact a game in so many ways.

The Ridley senior exudes the “athlete” label. She can create turnovers with her length, run the floor, dribble and drive, or hit the 3-ball.

She did it all in Ridley’s 55-37 Central League victory over Garnet Valley Thursday evening at the Greenhouse.

The future Elizabethtown College Blue Jay stuffed the stat sheet and delivered in all facets of her game, especially in the second half.

Ridley’s “big three” of Boyd, Kylie McNicholas and Shannen Hinchey showed they have great chemistry. Despite some ups and downs, they guided the Green Raiders to their third straight win. They combined for 39 points Thursday.

“We’ve been playing together for a long time,” Boyd said. “We just have a connection for each other, like knowing where we’re at and working together.”

Boyd and Hinchey were particularly effective in the second half. After shooting 1-for-5 from the field in the first half, Boyd erupted for 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting after halftime. She finished with game highs in assists (five) and steals (four). Hinchey battled early foul trouble, rendering her ineffective in the first two quarters, but she showed off her all-around skills in the second half, hitting a 3-pointer and gobbling up eight rebounds.

“Sometimes I’ll get two fouls early and … that’s what happened,” Hinchey said. “So, (coach) Roe (Falcone) had to sit me down and decided I should take a couple of deep breaths on the bench. My dad always says, you get five fouls, so you can come home with four.”

Falcone joked: “Out in the parking lot, I think she picked up her first foul.”

The outcome could’ve been much worse for the Green Raiders, if not for the big shots McNicholas and senior Savanna Moss drilled in the first half. McNicholas netted 10 of her game-high 18 points in the first quarter.

“Just going with the hot hand,” McNicholas said. “We all pick each other up.”

Moss hopped off the bench to hit a pair of 3-balls during a 14-3 run that turned the tide in Ridley’s favor.

“It feels good because sometimes my shot will be off,” Moss said. “I definitely was feeling it tonight.”

Garnet Valley struggled mightily to score baskets in the first half (1-for-21), and trailed by 12 points at halftime, but the Jags didn’t go down quietly. They outscored Ridley by two points (18-16) in the third period and pulled within seven points midway through the quarter. Junior guard Ava Possenti scored all nine of her points in the third.

Ridley seemed to have an answer for everything. The Green Raiders connected on a handful of three-point plays to keep GV at a safe distance.

“When they cut it to seven … Ky hit a three-point play and that was huge,” Falcone said. “We had a couple of those that changed the complexion of the game and we settled from there.”

Possenti and Alivia Scerba each finished with nine points, five rebounds and two steals for the Jags.

In other Central League action:

Radnor 46, Penncrest 32 >> Ava Gummel scored a career-high 15 points, including a pair of three-pointers, and Cierra Hopson added 13 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead Radnor (2-1) over the Lions.

Ellie Rinehart chipped in 12 points as Radnor pulled away in the third quarter. Bridget Dawson led Penncrest with 10 points.

Springfield 37, Harriton 28 >> Rachel Conran registered a double-double for the undefeated Cougars. The senior guard posted 10 of her 14 points in the second half and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Makayla Cox hit a pair of 3-pointers and finished with 12 points.

Lower Merion 47, Upper Darby 24 >> The Royals had trouble containing the Aces and Bridget McCann, who led all scorers with 21 points. 

Audrey Ennis paced the host Royals with 10 points.

In the Del Val League:

Penn Wood 63, Chester 13 >> The Patriots continue their roll, doing so Thursday behind LaShanda Smith’s 23 points. Also chipping in for PW were Raquel Curry (11 points, 16 rebounds), Ashley Cyrus (15 points) and Jourdan Johnson (10 points).

For Chester, Quinshana Hogman led the way with eight points.