BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — The Tug Valley Panthers jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as they trounced visiting county rival Mingo Central 84-35, Jan. 20 at the TV gym in Naugatuck.
Tug Valley jumped out to a 19-6 first-quarter lead and led 42-13 at halftime.
The Panthers upped the lead to 58-20 late in the third quarter and led by 43 points, 68-25, after the third quarter ended.
The Miners were cold from the field early and committed 17 turnovers in the first half. Tug Valley’s man-to-man defense and pressure forced many of those mistakes.
All-state point guard Braydun Ferris scored 13 first-half points, while Zade Rash and Carson Newsome each added eight in the early minutes.
Keziah Joplin led Mingo with six points in the first half.
Coach Garland “Rabbit” Thompson went to his bench early and played several reserves in the second half.
“We got off to a good start,” Thompson said of his team’s defense. “We were active and got our hands on a lot of basketballs for deflections.”
“The crowd was into the game and that gives our players a boost,” he added.
Rob Browning is in his first year at the coaching helm at MCHS.
Devin Maynard led MCHS with nine points, Auckley Mangubu scored eight, Joplin seven, Aiden Burke five, while Bo Hatfield, Caden Sammons and Elijah May scored two each.
Rash led Tug Valley with 16 points, Ferris and Aiden Copeland scored 15 each, Newsome had 12, Cam Slone nine, Preston May seven, Braxton Farley and Jackson Jewell four each, and Aidan Fleming chipped in two. Ferris dished out five assists.
Senior Bryson Elia, thought to be out for the year after a severe knee injury suffered in football, returned to action. With his surgery postponed, he is wearing a bulky brace. He did not score, but dished out a couple of assists.
Tug Valley shot 56% from the floor. The Panthers were 8-10 from the free-throw line, good for 80%.
Mingo Central shot 27% from the field and 8-11 at the foul line for 73%. The Miners finished the game with 23 turnovers.
Tug Valley continues to be No. 1 in Class A in West Virginia. Their record improved to 8-2.
Mingo Central saw its record drop to 5-3 for the season.
Score by quarters:
Mingo: 6 7 12 10 – 35
Tug: 19 23 26 16 – 84