By Stephen Smoot
The Mountain Lions of Tucker County this season have seen themselves in an unfamiliar position in that they are not occupying their normal summit in the Potomac Highlands boys’ basketball realm. Last week, they braved a blizzard to come to Franklin to try and tame the surging Pendleton County Wildcats.
A Wednesday night packed house watched a display of basketball from both sides that showed the battling, but also the beautiful side of the game. Those “old schoolers” saw what basketball purists love the most.
Both teams fought ferociously, but cleanly. Both teams ran sophisticated offenses that executed well because both teams know how to make the extra pass to find the open man, usually near the basket. Both teams played tight and aggressive defense. Both coaches made moves and countermoves through the game to try to wring an advantage.
When all was said and done, Pendleton County took a win they badly wanted over a rival that has made a recent habit of prevailing in these contests.
Tucker County took the opening tip. For almost two minutes the teams danced like heavyweight contenders at the start of a match, feeling each other out. Cashton Kisamore, a force underneath all night, took a pass inside, earned a foul, and hit one of two with 6:13 left in the first. Chase Owens not long after drove hard to the basket and kicked it out to Travis Owens for a three-point shot and a 4-0 lead.
At 5:13, Chase Owens hit a corner three. Tucker County hoisted up their own three that hit nothing but a Wildcat rebounder’s hands. At about the five-minute mark, Chase Owens pump faked a defender out of position, then shot another three-pointer in his face for a 10-0 lead to the absolute delight of the crowd.
Pendleton County, as it has all season, likes to keep opponents guessing on their defense. The Wildcats switched often between its defenses. Tucker County used high low sets and crisp passing to find open spots in the Wildcat zone and picks to get separation from the relentless man to man.
Tucker County shot well. Pendleton County shot better.
The Mountain Lions roared out of the timeout, fighting to blunt the Wildcat momentum and right their own ship. They did so, scoring seven straight in 1:45 to pull within three. Chase Owens then poured cold water in their sparkling champagne with a psychologically punishing three. He repeated the feat at the opening of the second off a Jaydon Hess pass to set the lead at 16-7.
Pendleton County opened the second in a one-two-two zone. Tucker County kept the pace, scoring five on two shots to pull within, 16-12. Kisamore took a pass to the post, muscled past defenders, and laid the ball in from a foot away.
The next score came from even closer. Chase Owens slipped a pass to a cutting Travis Owens, who took the ball, elevated, and threw down a two-handed dunk to the loud approval of the crowd. At 4:45 left in the first half, the visiting team found itself down eight, but by 3:37 they had closed the gap to three again.
Pendleton County then went on a nine to four run to close the half. Highlights included Travis Owens firing a ball out to Henry Warner for a three. Warner closed out the half with two free throws, putting his squad up 29-21.
Great programs down at the half surge when the second commences and this game was no different. Tucker County outscored the home team 11 to six from the opening of the quarter until the 4:43 mark when a Mountain Lion three closed the lead to 35-33.
In past seasons, when Tucker County surged they broke through and seized momentum. Pendleton County on this night found a way to make the plays to keep the opposition at bay.
Hess drove past the defense and deftly flipped in a layup. Kisamore blocked a shot, which led to another Chase Owens three. Every time the Sisyphean Mountain Lions mightily pushed the boulder to the top of the hill, the Wildcats would shove it right back down.
By the end of the third quarter, the Wildcat strategy shifted. Tucker County, in Bobby Knightlike fashion, never switched out of their man defense. Josh Owens, head coach, observing how they defended Hess, called for clearouts. All the Wildcat players stood outside the three-point line, their defenders following. Hess took the ball to the top of the key, one man on him. Every time, Hess broke down his man to get either a good shot or a foul.
Had Tucker County switched to a zone, the Pendleton County shooters would have buried them in three-point shots. The Wildcats put pressure on the opposing team that they could not adjust to as the third quarter ended and the final started.
Tucker County closed the lead to six at the end of the third. Hess countered by drawing a double team on his drive, then dropping a pass to a cutting Kisamore for a layup and a 52-44 lead. The visiting team dropped a three to close the gap to 52-47. Hess missed a shot that Chase Owens rebounded, then basically told Hess “try it again” by kicking it out to him. That time the point guard’s shot was true and lifted the lead to eight again with 6:57 left.
From about the 2:30 minute mark to the last seconds of the game, Tucker County pushed hard to grind its way back into the lead and break the hearts of the home squad. They found themselves down 65-55. Over a 1:30 span from there, however, they played their man defense as tight as one could dare, then took advantage of numerous free throw opportunities to cut the advantage to 65-61 with a little over 50 seconds left.
One good omen of luck that led to nothing, but remains worth mentioning, Travis Owens snatched a rebound under the basket. Not too unusual, except for the fact that he was lying flat on his back looking straight up. Unfazed and still on his back, he pitched the ball outside to keep the possession alive.
Tucker County wrested away a steal, but missed the layup. They fouled Kisamore immediately and he made one of two. At 42 seconds, the visitors hit a 10-foot jump shot, making it a one score game, 66-63. Inexplicably, they promptly fouled Chase Owens, who hit one of two to make it a two possession game once again. After missing a three on their next possession, the Mountain Lions put Travis Owens on the line. He scored on both attempts, extending the lead to 69-63 with 24.2 left.
Travis Owens stole the inbound pass to finally close the door. One last free throw ended the scoring at 70-63.
Chase Owens sliced and diced the Mountain Lions with 27 points, including six for nine from three. Kisamore also brought a monster game. He hit seven of 10 from the field for a total of 17 points. He also hauled down 11 rebounds. Hess had 12 points and eight assists. Travis Owens and Warner both scored seven.
“I’m very proud of the kids,” shared Coach Owens. He first discussed improving free throw shooting with some misses coming in the final minute, but added, “We played great defense and did not let them shoot us out of the gym.”
As of last night, Max Preps has Pendleton County eighth in Class A and Tucker County at 11. One score of note, Bridgeport last week defeated Lincoln at Shinnston 50 to 35. Pendleton County beat the same team in the same gym 50 to 43.
