Down to the final month of the regular season teams have their mind set on setting themselves up for postseason play and in the Twin Valley League the high level competition rolled on, on Friday as Valley Heights hosted Troy. At the end of the night it was a split as the lady Mustangs picked up the 53-39 win, while Troy came back from a halftime deficit to claim the 58-50 win.

It was a slow start to the game for the girls but Valley Heights struck first with four straight points on a pair of baskets early by freshman, DeAndra Woodyard, but Troy answered to tie it at four, then it was tied at 8-8 after the first quarter. The Mustangs started the second quarter off strong with a 7-0 run, only to see Troy answer back again, until Valley Heights went on another run to outscored the Trojans 22-13 in the frame and take a 30-21 lead into halftime. Freshman, Kayla Smith paced the Mustangs in the second quarter with 12 of her 18 points, while senior, Breanna Smith led Troy in the first half with 10 of her 18 points. Valley Heights continued to add to their lead and stretched the game out with a 16-8 third quarter and it was senior, Sidney Blackburn stepping up with eight points in the quarter, as Valley Heights went on to grab the 53-39 win.

Valley Heights with the win moved to 12-3 on the season and 8-1 in TVL action, moving their win streak to three-straight games. Kayla Smith led the Mustangs with her 18 points, while Blackburn posted 17 points, going 5-5 from the free throw line and earned Community National Bank "Player to Bank On" on KMZA radio. The loss sends Troy to 9-7 on the year and 4-5 in TVL play, as Breanna Smith led the team with 18 points.

Boys started the game off with pace as Troy fend the post and hit a pair of three's in the first quarter, but Elijah Smith turned it up early with seven points for Valley Heights in the first to give the Mustangs an 18-12 lead after one. Troy countered with a 12-9 second quarter and trailed just 27-24 at halftime as they Mustangs held the lead. The second half started strong for Troy as the Trojans took the lead, but Valley Heights battled back to tie the game at 34-34. The quarter ended with a 9-0 Troy run to give the Trojans a nine-point cushion going into the fourth quarter, as the Trojans outscored Valley Heights 19-7 in the third led by senior, Nathan Gaarder's eight points in the quarter. Valley Heights didn't go away quietly chipping away at a double figure Troy lead in the fourth, getting it to nine and then a three-pointer by Smith made it a six-point game. After a missed one-and-one for Troy, the Mustangs shot another three that would have brought them to within three in the waning seconds of the game but it misfired and Troy secured the rebound and finished off the game for the 58-50 win.

Troy with the win improved to 13-3 on the season and 7-2 in the TVL, as Gaarder for the third time this season posted 20 points, earning him Community National Bank "Player to Bank On" on KMZA radio. Senior, Collin Jasper added 14 points for Troy and sophomore, Reid Greaser chipped in eight points off the bench. Valley Heights with the loss fall to 10-6 on the year and 6-3 in TVL play, as Smith paced the team with 15 points, while Gage Woodyard added 13 points and Logan Woodyard scored nine.

Both teams get back to action on Tuesday as Troy hosts Centralia, while Valley Heights travels to Washington County for action.