BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — The Tug Valley Panthers got back on the winning track as they buried county rival Mingo Central 69-39 Tuesday night at the TVHS gym in Naugatuck.

Tug Valley (13-3) is coming off back-to-back losses in the Hatfield-McCoy Shootout this past weekend. So Coach Garland “Rabbit” Thompson was pleased to see his team bounce back with a convincing win over the Miners.

The Panthers, ranked No. 2 in Class A, jumped out to a huge 19-6 first quarter lead and led 32-18 at the half.

Kaden Hale and Ashton Davis both scored 11 first-half points and Braydun Ferris 10 to lead Tug Valley to its fast start.

Tug Valley outscored the Miners 37-21 in the second half to pull away with the win.

Ferris led Tug with 17 points, while Hale finished with 16 and Davis 12. Several others got into the scoring column for the Panthers as Buddy Marcum scored six, Brady Brewer five, Bryson Elia four, Carson Newsome three, Cam Slone two, Preston May two and Jace Hale two.

Marcum hauled in 10 rebounds and Elia dished out a game-high eight assists to lead the Panthers in those categories.

Tug Valley shot 49% from the field, including 50% from behind the arc making 10-20 from long distance. They were 5-7 at the foul line for 71%.

For Mingo Central, Ethan Thomason led with 15 points and Kendan Trent added nine points for Coach Stan Elkins.

Score by quarters:
Mingo: 6 12 14 7 – 39
Tug: 19 13 21 16 – 69