By Stephen Smoot
Make no mistake, the final score of this contest did not reflect how hard the Tigers of Union fought to take a victory home with them. The game stayed uncomfortably tight for the home boys’ basketball squad well into the fourth quarter.
The Tigers came away with the opening tip, passing the ball patiently for almost a minute before losing possession out of bounds. Only 20 seconds later, Jaydon Hess found a cutting Cashton Kisamore, who took the ball in for a layup and a 2-0 lead. Almost 30 seconds later, Hess hit a three-point shot.
Union counterpunched during the next two minutes. Their first score came off a rebound and the second from a steal, pulling them within one at 5-4. The score remained thus for the next minute and a half until Chase Owens bulled his way to the basket and laid the ball in. The Tigers followed with their own layup 15 seconds later.
Kisamore passed the ball to Hess, who scored on a short attempt at the 3:17 mark.
Then came a bit of the hard luck that plagued Pendleton County all night. Bounces found Union players hands more often than not. Shots that appeared to have no chance, such as one that Henry Warner got his full palm on two feet from the basket, somehow still found their way in. That said, Union players made their own luck with hard-nosed aggressive play.
Pendleton County seemed to have to battle through a wall to score much of the night. When the Tigers broke free in the opening minute of the second quarter to take a 12-11 lead, however, the Wildcats surged. Owens came hard off a pick, pulled up at 15 feet and hit a shot for two of his 11 points. Next, Kisamore converted the old fashioned three-point play with a layup and foul shot, giving his team a 16-12 lead. He followed that with an offensive rebound and layup and on the night, led the Wildcats with 16.
Union then countered with two jumpers to cut the lead to 18-16. At the 2:09 mark a Tiger three made the score 20-19 in favor of the home squad. Once again, the Wildcats surged forward and scored nine unanswered for a 10-point lead at the half. Five of Travis Owens’ 14 points came off of two made field goals in this stretch.
Pendleton County scored to open the third period, then inexplicably hit that scoring wall. Union patiently whittled away at the lead in the third stanza, outscoring the Wildcats 15 to five through the opening minute of the fourth. At the 6:23 mark in the game, only up three, Pendleton County got breathing room with a three. Then Kisamore once again scored a layup, drew a foul, and hit his free throw, making the score suddenly 43-34.
About 90 seconds later, the Wildcats scored when Hess drew defenders to him and whipped a pass back to Kisamore for a score. At 3:28, Chase Owens stole the ball, opening up a possession where Travis Owens scored and put the home team up 47 to 34. At the two minute mark, Warner fired a pass out to Travis Owens for a three. In the closing minutes, Knoxx Wright muscled away a rebound and scored. Cameron Wyatt repeated the feat with 35.7 seconds left, making the final 54 to 36.
Hess put in nine points with five assists and Wyatt and Wright both scored two. Kisamore led in rebounds with six and Chase Owens had five.
Observers noted that Union has brought its best efforts to its biggest opponents, treating regional one seed East Hardy similarly as they did the Wildcats.
Pendleton’s scoring dynamic has changed since the first few months. Outside shooting has had a diminishing impact as Kisamore has proven himself a force inside at both ends of the floor. His offensive game has opened up as well, allowing him more flexibility to make plays as a cutter. Chase Owens has also moved his offense closer to the basket, using his strength to push past defenders in and near the post.
Josh Owens, head coach, noted his team’s recent shooting slump that has slowed the fast paced offense somewhat, but also shared that “Cashton is tearing it up. He’s a beast.”
In regional play, second seed Pendleton County will challenge seventh seed Pocahontas County tonight, then seek to renew its recent dominance over Tucker County should they defeat Paw Paw tonight. The Wildcats would host both games.
Two wins and the Wildcats are in.
