MORGANTOWN 57 WHEELING PARK 55

Price makes Pats pay
His 29 points pace Mohigans’ comeback
BY ERIC HANLON
The Dominion Post

WHEELING — With six seconds remaining in the final game of the regular season, Morgantown High senior Taylor Price missed his chance to tie topranked Wheeling Park from the free-throw line.
Price got a second chance against the Patriots on Friday, in the Region 1, Section 1 championship game.
This time, Price didn’t miss, and the Mohigans won, 57-55.
“They came over to our place and won by two. It was pretty much the same scenario,” Price said. “This time, I knocked down the free throws.”
Trailing by 11 points in the third quarter, the Mohigans (21-3) rallied to a 55-55 tie with 34 seconds to play.
The rally was eerily similar to the one orchestrated by the Patriots (21-3) in their regular-season win against the Mohigans.
“This was the same situation Park was in a week ago, but we were up eight at halftime,” MHS head coach Tom Yester said. “This time we were down eight at the half, but I knew this team wouldn’t quit.”
With time running out, Price drove the lane for a seemingly sure layup, but was fouled with 1.5 seconds left.
Price made both of his foul shots, topping off a 20-point second half and a career-high 29-point game.
“Price knocked down the foul shots, and that’s what 80-percent foul shooters do,” Yester said. “That’s what senior captains do.”
There was no guarding Price in the second half. He manhandled a very physical Patriots team.
“He was a man. Price — he is the gentle giant, but he has learned when you walk between those lines to leave the gentle part out. We’re playing the giant part,” Yester said.
Down, 39-28, midway through the third frame, Price fueled the MHS comeback, highlighted by an 11-3 run that cut the Patriots’ lead to 44-41 to begin the fourth.
“The best thing about this is that we came back from eight points at halftime, and ultimately 11,” Price said. “That just shows the heart of our team.”
“We did a good job getting the ball to Price inside,” Yester added.
“Give our guys credit for getting it to him, because he wanted the ball.”
Fellow MHS senior Michael Keffer and sophomore Nathan Adrian also had big games. Adrian scored 12 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while Keffer added six points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Price also had seven rebounds.
Wheeling Park had not lost at home this season.
“They don’t lose too many games here, so this is a great win for us,” Yester said. “That’s one heck of a team and they’re as good as anybody in the state of West Virginia. I hope we’re one of the best in the state too. Now, at least, we’re even.”
Morgantown will host Fairmont Senior at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, with a berth in the state tournament on the line.
“I think that we can take them if we play our game,” Price said of Fairmont Senior. “We just have to remember that this was just one game and can’t get too hyped up about the win.”
“I can’t say enough about these [guys]” Yester added. “Hopefully, this gives us a little boost going back home” to face Fairmont Senior. “This win only counts as one. The next one gets us to the dance.”
MORGANTOWN (21-3)
Berryhill 1 0-2 2, Keffer 3 0-0 6, Drake 2 0-0 4, Adrian 5 0-3 12, Price 12 5-5 29, Lusk 1 0-0 3, Watson 0 1-2 1, Blemings 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 6-12 57.
WHEELING PARK (21-3)
Baynes 2 3-3 8, Bell 6 0-1 12, Goodwin 4 2-2 12, O’Neal 4 1-5 9, Lathon 5 0-0 11, Popicg 1 1-2 4, Saseen 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 7-13 55.
Morgantown 17 9 15 16 — 57 Wheeling Park 18 16 10 11 — 55
3-pointgoals: MHS 3 (Adrian 2, Lusk), WPHS 4 (Goodwin 2, Lathon, Popicg).

Rick Thorp/ The Intelligencer
Morgantown High’s Alex Watson
(right) works the ball around Wheeling Park’s Bubby Goodwin and teammate Taylor Price, in Friday’s game.