Troy Puts Brakes on Nash, Wins

The plan was pretty simple, really. Whenever Aiyana Nash got the ball, everyone ran over and covered her.

That was the drill Tuesday, and Troy made the most of it, holding the county’s leading scorer to only 13 points in a 45-24 Freeway League victory over visiting Sonora.

Troy (12-5, 4-0 in league play) is alone in first place as it tries to win its fourth consecutive Freeway League title. Sonora (13-5, 3-1) is trying to win its first title since 1974.

Nash, averaging 29.8 points, could hardly remember the last time she scored as few as 13. “Maybe my freshman year, in the first couple of games,” she said.

The senior, who has shot 48.7% from the field, made only five of 31 shots. Though shooting 46.8% from the three-point arc, she was zero for 10.

“That’s probably the first time in three years [Nash] hasn’t made a three-pointer,” Troy Coach Brad Sand said.

Nash wasn’t selfish, either, passing the ball to her teammates, but she had no assists. Her teammates shot only 19% (five for 26). Heidi Hardeman led Troy with 19 points.