South prevails over Expression in opener

Parkersburg South’s Mason Nutter drives into the paint while Huntington Expression Prep’s Mark Brown defends during the Patriots’ 68-55 season-opening victory Saturday night inside Rod Oldham Athletic Center.
(Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — It was far from a thing of beauty here Saturday night inside Rod Oldham Athletic Center, but Parkersburg South head coach Mike Fallon was more than pleased to open the campaign with a victory after the Patriots took care of Huntington Expression Prep, 68-55.

Navi Hewitt went for a game-high 21 points for the Patriots, who welcome in 0-2 Parkersburg on Tuesday night.

Harry Silvis, who sat the entire second quarter with three fouls, also finished in double figures with 17 points.

Along with receiving a trio of 3s from Cameron Fallon, Patriot Mason Nutter pitched in nine points and had seven rebounds, five assists and a quartet of steals.

“What did Harry play? Probably 20 minutes if that and Taj (Joyce, six points, game-high six steals) still has football legs,” admitted coach Fallon, whose team hit 6 of 10 from downtown to help forge a commanding 28-11 advantage after the opening quarter. “Once he comes back, I mean he’s an all-stater.

Parkersburg South’s Navi Hewitt, who had a game-high 21 points during the Patriots’ 68-55 season-opening victory Saturday night inside Rod Oldham Athletic Center, makes a skip pass as Huntington Expression Prep’s Rasheed Morrison defends.
(Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“I mean hands down. We saw what he could do this summer, but he’s just not in shape yet because of football. I’m happy with our kids. Last year we would’ve found a way to lose that. That’s what happened to us early in the year last year and then we lost all momentum.”

The 2-4 Lions never led, but had it even at three after Silvis’ trifecta was answered by Theo Agyemang, who double-doubled with 15 points and a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with five dimes.

Hewitt’s corner 3 just 13 seconds later via a Nutter assist put the Patriots ahead for good. HEP trailed 16-3 at 4:30 of the first following a three-point play by Nutter.

A three-point play by Hewitt with 3:39 left in the half put the Lions in a 35-20 hole, which soon extended to 20 points following a Fallon trifecta and a thunderous one-handed flush from Hewitt.

Despite trailing 42-24 at intermission, HEP opened the second half on an 8-0 spurt thanks to buckets from Mitchell Cox (10 points), Lamin Gassama and back-to-back deuces from Rasheed Morrison, who finished with 11 counters.

A Cox triple via a Wilko Dickgeisser assist pulled the Lions to within seven, 46-39, with 1:39 to go in the third and the visitors only trailed by six at 48-42 entering the fourth after Thompson had a steal and a layup.

Parkersburg South, which forced 21 turnovers in the first half, missed all nine of its attempts from deep in the third and misfired on 12 of 13 overall in the stanza.

“That zone they were running, other than Spring Mills nobody is going to be that long and athletic that we play,” admitted coach Fallon. “We had clean looks. They just weren’t going and we weren’t finishing around the rim because of their length and heighth. I’m proud of our kids.

“What an effort in the first half. We were on the floor more in the first half than we were the entire season last year, diving on the floor and getting after it. The fourth quarter we switched defenses and caused them a little bit of problems there and that little change of pace right there was the difference in the game.”

The first basket of the fourth quarter didn’t come until 2:38 in when Nutter had a putback.

HEP closed to within six midway through the fourth at 52-46 after a three-point play by Agyemang and a Dickgeisser free throw.

However, Silvis then had a pair of triples sandwiched between a 3 from Joyce as the Patriots were able to take control down the stretch.

“Shouldn’t have to motivate kids for that,” Fallon quipped of Monday’s practice before the PHS game.

GIRLS

PARKERSBURG — The Parkersburg South girls picked up their first win of the season Saturday when they rallied to beat Weir 63-61 at Rod Oldham Athletic Center.

The Patriots trailed by 21 points early in the fourth quarter, but turned the tide with some top-notch defense.

“It was a crazy fourth quarter,” said PSHS head coach Ed Davis. “We turned up the pressure and played some man press. We hadn’t really practice that much, but the kids got after it and we knocked down some shots. Next thing you know we’re right there and we made some free throws at the end. I’m very proud of them. They needed that one.”

South has been banged up early in the season and added leading scorer Lucie Cline to the injury report earlier this week. Without Cline’s services, several Patriots stepped up Saturday, led by Farrah Yost.

Yost paced all scorers 25 points, a career-high, to go along with six rebounds, five steals and two assists. Macy Singer added 10 points while Kenna Mace chipped in eight points and eight rebounds. Taelyn Richards contributed seven points, six boards, five steals and two blocks.

The Tigers (3-2), who committed 27 turnovers in the game, led 15-12 after a quarter, 37-30 at halftime and 54-37 going into the fourth. Weir, which got 20 points from Janai Turner, 13 from Eliza Utt and 12 from Maleea Faulks, was outscored 26-7 over the final eight minutes.

South, which is now 1-3, will take on Parkersburg as part of rivalry week Thursday at Memorial Fieldhouse.