What started as a closely contested affair turned into a big win for the Ducks Jan. 10 at the East Lawrence Center. The Ducks outlasted the Terrapins 35-26 in the fourth- and fifth-grade division matchup.

The Ducks (3-5 overall) were led by their big man Dayton Valentine, who recorded a double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

“I was just concentrating really hard while I was on the court,” Valentine said.

Valentine wasn’t the only weapon for the Ducks. Two of his assists set up Kennedy Kirkpatrick, who added 11 points and four rebounds of her own.

Both teams came out fired up in the first quarter, battling back-and-forth with the Terrapins (3-4 overall) clinging to a one-point lead going into the second period. Terrapins guard Cole Moreano came out with the hot hand, scoring seven of his team’s nine points and dishing an assist to Garrett Frank for the other basket.

Duck Dayton Valentine gets two of his 12 points against the Terrapins Jan. 10 at the East Lawrence Center. Valentine recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and also recorded four assists in the Ducks' 35-26 win.

Not to be intimidated, the Gators came out in the second quarter unfazed and went on an 8-0 run to take the game to halftime up 16-9.

After sitting much of the second quarter with foul trouble, Moreano came out of the break to sink two jump shots on his way to a game-high 17 points.

Terrapin coach Rod Zinn acknowledged that the Ducks’ play in the paint made it tough for his team to get baskets.

“Size was against us tonight,” Zinn said, “The Ducks wanted this game more than we did.”

In a play that defined the Ducks’ performance, Valentine pulled down a defensive rebound and passed ahead to Kirkpatrick, who handled the fast break with an assist to Lucas Warner for a lay-up and a lead the Ducks’ wouldn’t relinquish.

Ducks coach Allen Kelley was impressed with his team’s performance coming off winter break.

“I thought they were going to be rusty, but they were able to out-rebound and out-hustle a good Terrapins team,” Kelley said.