Bob Gay/The Dominion Post Morgantown High’s Jay Fletcher goes up for a shot as Preston’s Josh Adams trails the play. MHS won Monday’s home game, 66-43.
MHS knocks off No. 7 PHS
Mohigans dominant in 66-43 triumph
BY ERIC HERTER The Dominion Post
One quick look at Monday’s boys’ basketball game at Morgantown High certainly could have been misleading.
Preston (15-3, 10-2 NCAC) entered the game ranked No. 7 in the latest Class AAA poll, but it was the Mohigans (11-6, 8-3) who looked, and shot, like the better team and went on to win, 66-43.
“We had been shooting so well, but tonight we just didn’t for whatever reason,” Preston coach Barry Sanders said. “They kicked our tails bad and there are no excuses.”
With sharp passing, a stifling defense and spot-on shooting, Morgantown ran out to a big lead and was never had threatened by the Knights.
At the 4:05 mark of the first quarter, Sanders was forced to call a timeouts because the Mohigans pushed their way to an 11-2 lead. The Knights did manage to cut that lead to 16-7, but that was as close as Preston would get.
Midway through the second quarter, the Mohigans pushed their lead to 20 points on a bucket by Anthony Schifano.
“I think we just came out tonight and had really good chemistry,” MHS head coach Tom Yester said after watching his team knock off back-to-back ranked opponents. “The kids played for each other instead of as individuals and that’s what it is all about.”
Several times down the court, the Mohigans had possessions where the ball never touched the ground as MHS whipped the ball around the perimeter before finding a man wide-open for an easy basket.
“We have the offense that works,” Yester said. “And I think we are finally starting to hopefully realize that if you let it work for you - instead of work against it - this can be a pretty fun game.”
The Mohigans finished with 14 assists on 27 baskets and just seven turnovers while forcing the Knights into 18 turnovers on the night.
Schifano, who finished with a game-high 18 points, got the contest rolling early for MHS as he scored nine of his points in the first quarter all on 3-pointers.
Tyrell Rembert added nine points for the MHS cause while J.T. Lewis scored seven points with seven rebounds and Jay Fletcher added three points with seven rebounds.
Scott Kenan led Preston with 10 points, scored all in the fourth quarter, while Josh Adams scored seven points with eight rebounds.
“It sure feels like we are getting hot at the right time,” Schifano said. “We might be able to win a few games right now and make a run at sectionals.”
Both teams return to action tonight as the Knights host Tucker County while MHS hosts Elkins.
Bob Gay/The Dominion Post Morgantown High’s Jay Fletcher goes up for a shot as Preston’s Josh Adams trails the play. MHS won Monday’s home game, 66-43.