ThomasCostello
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‘I just couldn’t stop smiling,’ the Thierrys reflect on a matchup four years in the making
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
A simple compliment, a surprise interaction and spending time with a best friend.
In the fourth quarter of No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball’s victory over Youngstown State, forward Taylor Thierry had a block. Thierry’s lone block of the game and 75th of her NCAA career, but it was far and away the most memorable. It didn’t win the game for the Buckeyes or stop a big Youngstown run, but it gave the Thierry twins a memory they’ll never forget.
“Thank you,” said Taylor to her twin sister Haley as they headed back down the court after Taylor blocked her sibling in the fourth quarter of the 87-39 Ohio State victory.
At that moment, nothing else mattered. Ohio State was up 42 points and even if nobody wants to see an opponent swipe away one of their shots, it didn’t phase the Youngstown guard.
Haley had a smile on her face the entire game. From the moment the guard stepped onto the court in the second quarter, it was evident joy. Their time against each other started with a surprise for Haley. The guard headed to the scorer’s table to check into the game as a substitute, something she’s done countless times in her life as a basketball player.
Seconds later, Ohio State’s Thierry got up off the bench and ran to the scorer’s table too. It looked almost planned by Buckeyes’ head coach Kevin McGuff.
“No, just random. So meant to be, I guess,” said McGuff.
Taylor ran to the scorer’s table and crouched down next to her sister. It wasn’t an immediate reunion with smiles and hugs. For nearly a minute the two just kneeled there, with Haley having no idea it was her fraternal twin.
“I didn’t know until she said, ‘Oh, Hey,’ and then she gave me a high five,” said Haley Thierry. “I didn’t expect it to be her. But obviously when I saw her, I got excited and happy.”
The two played only 1:11 of game time in the second quarter, a brief introduction but one that filled the hearts of fans in the know and a traveling supporter group from across the country to see the twins play — their family.
“We had 15 family members that came and then just lots of friends from high school,” said Taylor Thierry.
Their family sat in the first two rows of the Ohio State family section, with most donning some Thierry sister memorabilia in the form of buttons and a custom made Thierry shirt with the Ohio State “Block O” and the Youngstown State “Y.”
Elin Thierry, the sister’s mom, didn’t wear any sort of team paraphernalia, instead wearing a red sweater without a penguin or buckeye in sight. After all, their mom didn’t want to even see them play against each other, instead wishing the two were on the same side.
“I’m just not a fan of playing against my sister,” said Taylor Thierry, “I’d rather have her on the same team. So, but yeah, I guess my mom was the same thing.”
Regardless, the joy on Elin and their family’s faces, with some coming in from as far as Louisiana, was on the faces of the Thierry twins too in the second half when they played extended time against each other on the court.
That was due in part to the Buckeyes’ in-team sisters being injured and McGuff using an eight-player rotation in the Saturday victory.
A silver lining of the shorter bench of available players was more time for the Thierrys to bask in the moment. More time to make memories.
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Ohio State Women’s Basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
Taylor Thierry and Haley Thierry
On the court, Taylor won out on the competitive piece of the “rivalry.” Before the block, Thierry hit a layup over her sister. Those two moments combined, all within the span of 15 seconds, have a good chance of becoming stories the two will share for the rest of their lives, probably with some gentle ribbing from Taylor Thierry who, despite her quiet demeanor, has a quick wit and funnier facial reactions.
For Haley, she didn’t seem to care. She felt differently than Taylor on the excitement of the day too. While Taylor was happy, Haley was excited for the matchup and looking forward to it since she found out over the summer.
“Ever since warmup, when I saw her, I just couldn’t stop smiling,” said Haley.
It shows the juxtaposition of the fraternal twins who have different personalities, games on the court and are separated by a good four inches of height. The scoreline will one day be forgotten, but not the memories created by the senior sisters in their final years of NCAA basketball.
“I feel like that was a very memorable moment and exciting,” said Haley. “And I was, again, like, I’m just happy to be here and be able to play against, you know, my best friend right here.”
For more on the Thierry sisters, and the meaning behind Saturday’s game, read what they and their mom told Land-Grant Holy Land in the days leading up to Ohio State’s matchup with Youngstown State.
Taylor and Haley Thierry compete Saturday, celebrating a family legacy
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
A simple compliment, a surprise interaction and spending time with a best friend.
In the fourth quarter of No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball’s victory over Youngstown State, forward Taylor Thierry had a block. Thierry’s lone block of the game and 75th of her NCAA career, but it was far and away the most memorable. It didn’t win the game for the Buckeyes or stop a big Youngstown run, but it gave the Thierry twins a memory they’ll never forget.
“Thank you,” said Taylor to her twin sister Haley as they headed back down the court after Taylor blocked her sibling in the fourth quarter of the 87-39 Ohio State victory.
At that moment, nothing else mattered. Ohio State was up 42 points and even if nobody wants to see an opponent swipe away one of their shots, it didn’t phase the Youngstown guard.
Haley had a smile on her face the entire game. From the moment the guard stepped onto the court in the second quarter, it was evident joy. Their time against each other started with a surprise for Haley. The guard headed to the scorer’s table to check into the game as a substitute, something she’s done countless times in her life as a basketball player.
Seconds later, Ohio State’s Thierry got up off the bench and ran to the scorer’s table too. It looked almost planned by Buckeyes’ head coach Kevin McGuff.
“No, just random. So meant to be, I guess,” said McGuff.
Taylor ran to the scorer’s table and crouched down next to her sister. It wasn’t an immediate reunion with smiles and hugs. For nearly a minute the two just kneeled there, with Haley having no idea it was her fraternal twin.
“I didn’t know until she said, ‘Oh, Hey,’ and then she gave me a high five,” said Haley Thierry. “I didn’t expect it to be her. But obviously when I saw her, I got excited and happy.”
The two played only 1:11 of game time in the second quarter, a brief introduction but one that filled the hearts of fans in the know and a traveling supporter group from across the country to see the twins play — their family.
“We had 15 family members that came and then just lots of friends from high school,” said Taylor Thierry.
Their family sat in the first two rows of the Ohio State family section, with most donning some Thierry sister memorabilia in the form of buttons and a custom made Thierry shirt with the Ohio State “Block O” and the Youngstown State “Y.”
Elin Thierry, the sister’s mom, didn’t wear any sort of team paraphernalia, instead wearing a red sweater without a penguin or buckeye in sight. After all, their mom didn’t want to even see them play against each other, instead wishing the two were on the same side.
“I’m just not a fan of playing against my sister,” said Taylor Thierry, “I’d rather have her on the same team. So, but yeah, I guess my mom was the same thing.”
Regardless, the joy on Elin and their family’s faces, with some coming in from as far as Louisiana, was on the faces of the Thierry twins too in the second half when they played extended time against each other on the court.
That was due in part to the Buckeyes’ in-team sisters being injured and McGuff using an eight-player rotation in the Saturday victory.
A silver lining of the shorter bench of available players was more time for the Thierrys to bask in the moment. More time to make memories.
Taylor Thierry and Haley Thierry
On the court, Taylor won out on the competitive piece of the “rivalry.” Before the block, Thierry hit a layup over her sister. Those two moments combined, all within the span of 15 seconds, have a good chance of becoming stories the two will share for the rest of their lives, probably with some gentle ribbing from Taylor Thierry who, despite her quiet demeanor, has a quick wit and funnier facial reactions.
For Haley, she didn’t seem to care. She felt differently than Taylor on the excitement of the day too. While Taylor was happy, Haley was excited for the matchup and looking forward to it since she found out over the summer.
“Ever since warmup, when I saw her, I just couldn’t stop smiling,” said Haley.
It shows the juxtaposition of the fraternal twins who have different personalities, games on the court and are separated by a good four inches of height. The scoreline will one day be forgotten, but not the memories created by the senior sisters in their final years of NCAA basketball.
“I feel like that was a very memorable moment and exciting,” said Haley. “And I was, again, like, I’m just happy to be here and be able to play against, you know, my best friend right here.”
For more on the Thierry sisters, and the meaning behind Saturday’s game, read what they and their mom told Land-Grant Holy Land in the days leading up to Ohio State’s matchup with Youngstown State.
Taylor and Haley Thierry compete Saturday, celebrating a family legacy
Continue reading...