BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — It was a hard-court battle between the state’s two top-ranked Class A basketball teams Saturday in Naugatuck. No. 1 Tug Valley got the best of No. 2 Tucker County in a convincing 59-39 win in front of the Panthers faithful.
The Panthers were looking for revenge as Tucker County had defeated them 65-63 in overtime in January.
Saturday’s game was played before a packed house at the TVHS gymnasium. Students who wore black and silver and sat in the “Naugatuck Nightmare” cheering section attended the game for free.
Tug Valley jumped out to a 17-10 first-quarter lead and held Tucker County to single digits in the second quarter. The visitors were only able to score seven points.
The Panthers led 30-17 heading into the dressing room at halftime.
Carson Newsome had a good offensive first half for Tug Valley. He scored 10 points in the first period and five more in the second, including a couple of treys. The last came in the final seconds of the second quarter to give him 15 first-half points.
Braydun Ferris scored eight points in the second quarter to help the Panthers build on their first-half advantage.
Tug Valley outscored the Mountain Lions 14-8 in the third.
Coach Garland “Rabbit” Thompson was able to play some reserves in the final minutes of the game to avenge the loss from earlier in the season.
Tug Valley shot a good 54% from the floor, including 6-12 from behind the arc for 50%. The Panthers were 10-12 at the free-throw line for 83%.
Newsome finished as the leading scorer with 17 points, including three treys, while Ferris added 14 with five assists. Ashton Davis scored 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Ethan Ferrell had five points, Bryson Elia and Kaden Hale both scored four and Braxton Perry added two.
Coach Thompson was pleased with his team’s “defensive intensity.”
“We were more active on defense than the first time we played them,” Thompson said. “I also thought we rebounded the ball well. It was a total team effort.”
Thompson said he was happy with the big hometown crowd and said it helps motivate his team.
Garrett Wilfong led Tucker County with 11 points, while Trevan Bonner added 10. The Mountain Lions shot 39% field goals and were 3-15 from long distance for 20%. They were 4-5 at the foul line for 80%.
The loss made it a long, sad 4 ½ hour ride home for Tucker County, whose record dropped to 13-3 on the season.
Tug Valley improved to 12-2.
The two schools could meet again in Charleston at the West Virginia State Tournament in March.
Score by quarters:
Tug: 17 13 14 12 – 56
Tucker: 10 7 8 14 – 39
Tug Valley 65, Tolsia 45
GLEN HAYES, W.Va. — Tug Valley improved to 11-2 on the season with a 64-45 victory over regional rival Tolsia on Friday night at the Rebels home gymnasium in Wayne County.
Tug Valley jumped out to a 21-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 30-19 at the halftime break. The Panthers outscored the Rebels 23-10 in the third quarter and coasted to the win.
Kaden Hale led Tug Valley with 18 points, including 4 3-pointers, while Ashton Davis had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Davis hit a milestone in the contest with his 1,000 career points.
Point guard Braydun Ferris added 15 points, dished out four assists and pulled down seven rebounds for TV.
Carson Newsome chipped in six points and had three steals, Bryson Elia also scored six points, Ethan Ferrell scored three and Cam Slone added two points for TVHS.
The Panthers shot 37% from the field and were only 8-28 from behind the arc for 28%. They made 6-10 from the free throw line for 60%.
Robert Evans led Tolsia with 15 points, while Dakota Walker added 13 points.
Tolsia shot 42% from the field and made 3-10 at the charity stripe for 30%.
Score by quarters:
Tug: 21 9 23 11 – 64
Tolsia: 9 10 10 16 – 45