Trailing by 25 points in the first half and still down by 17 points entering the final stanza, the Yellow Jackets buzzed to life swarming the Mountain Lair outscoring Tucker County 33-13 to secure a 68-65 comeback which was the first win on the road against the Mountain Lions in program history last Tuesday.
“We talked at halftime and said hey, we shot really poorly in the first half and they shot really good. We knew we weren’t out of it and said let’s just make something happen and have a good time,” Moorefield Boys Basketball coach Scott Stutler commented.
“We had a good time celebrating after we won it. After the third quarter, we just kept our heads in the game. They played hard and played with heart. We talk about playing with heart and playing hard and just hitting shots. They did great in the second half. They were just running crazy in the second half, they got some steals and got some putbacks. We hit some big shots, [Coleman] Mongold hit some big shots and [Yosef] Malaki went in and made an and-one. Trevor Shoemaker, Thomas [Williams] and Chase [Vance] were all playing with heart, they were selling out on the court. It was all heart at that point being tired and they just never gave up. That is what we have tried to preach all year. I have never been here to Tucker County in basketball and won before, so for these guys to come up here and get a win, especially a win like that its great and they are deserving of it. They deserve that win.”
Moorefield senior Chase Vance recorded a game-high 20 points enabling the Yellow Jackets to fly above the Mountain Lions in the comeback win making history on the road.
The Yellow Jackets completed the season sweep having won in the Hive by 20 points earlier this season and knew there was a certain formula to create the success rallying on the road.
“This is absolutely amazing, unexplainable. That’s Mamba mentality. We’ve never done anything like that before in my life. It feels great. We have more heart than anyone,” Moorefield senior Chase Vance remarked.
An offensive call was assessed on Tucker County’s Zach Long to begin the fourth period, then the Yellow Jackets hit the rim and Wyatt Betler collected the rebound for the Mountain Lions.
The Mountain Lions (3-17) lost the ball out of bounds as Gus Mullennex fumbled it falling to the floor and Moorefield (9-10) took possession.
There was a battle for a rebound with a foul called on the Mountain Lions, then Moorefield’s Thomas Williams drilled a 3-pointer at the 7:03 mark, 52-38.
A steal by Moorefield’s Chase Vance didn’t create points, then Tucker County came away with the rebound by Mullennex and finished the possession on a putback by Betler at 6:27.
An errant shot by the Yellow Jackets with a dive for the loose ball by Williams collecting it simultaneously being fouled by Tucker County’s Zach Colebank.
Brent Moran knocked down a 3-pointer for the Yellow Jackets with 5:58 remaining as the score stood at 54-41 and the momentum combined with the positive vibes kept the will power to win effervescent.
Moorefield applied pressure and the Mountain Lions broke the initial wave with a basket by Betler in 14 seconds.
An offensive rebound by Yosef Malaki turned into an old-fashioned three-point play for the Yellow Jackets at the 5:11 mark, 56-44.
Tucker County’s Betler and Haden Wamsley sandwiched field goals around one by Moorefield’s Vance in a span of 30 seconds, 60-46.
After a block by Tucker Country’s Grayson Pennington, Moran picked up his fourth foul.
The Mountain Lions missed two shots and Malaki redirected the ball to Trevor Shoemaker, who crashed into Pennington drawing the defensive foul and wasn’t able to connect at the line.
Mullennex snatched the rebound, but Shoemaker had some redemption with a steal and layup cutting the deficit down to 60-48 with 3:50 left.
Pressure by the Yellow Jackets was a little too tight as Moran fouled out, then Malaki stole the ball and netted a basket at 3:34 with a foul called on Tucker County.
The free throw wasn’t good, but Williams snatched the board and was fouled, but the next foul shot also hit the rim with Shoemaker grabbing the carom and Betler blocking the shot.
The Mountain Lions missed a free throw and Moorefield went back to work chipping away at the lead as Coleman Mongold hit a 3-pointer with 3:11 remaining, 60-53.
Tucker County missed two free throws with Shoemaker collecting the rebound, then Shoemaker added one foul shot for the Yellow Jackets at the 3:00 mark and grabbed the ensuing rebound.
A defensive rebound by the Mountain Lions was stolen by Shoemaker for a basket at the 2:52 mark, 60-56.
Malaki swiped the ball and hit the rim and Tucker County took possession with a quick foul by Moorefield and no free throw made as a result.
Mongold nailed a jumper, then made a steal and tied the game for the Yellow Jackets with 2:13 to go, 60-all.
Tucker County made a deep pass over the pressure and Mullennex was fouled leading to two charity stripe buckets to regain the lead at 2:10.
Vance netted a jumper with 1:52 on the clock which locked the score again.
Long scored for the Mountain Lions, but Moorefield responded with two free throws by Vance with 1:19 left, 64-all.
Shoemaker fouled out as Betler went to the free throw line making just one foul shot at 1:05 for a 65-64 Tucker County edge.
A layup was executed by Vance giving the Yellow Jackets the lead 66-65 with[private] 55 seconds to go.
Williams deflected a pass, then Malaki’s defense forced an errant shot by the Mountain Lions with Williams jumping up for the rebound.
The Mountain Lions desperately fouled Williams with four-tenths of a second left and he calmly sank both free throws to help seal the first win for Moorefield at Tucker County in school history as the final inbounds throw sailed out.
Vance scored a game-high 20 points for the Yellow Jackets in the win, followed by Shoemaker with 14 points and Moran contributed 11 markers.
Tucker County was led by Betler with 19 points, followed by Colebank with 12 points and Long with 11.
It was a disappointing start to the game for Moorefield as the Mountain Lions pounced out to an 9-nil run closing the first period up 11-3 before building a 35-10 advantage late in the second period with a 36-17 halftime lead.
Moran created a steal on the opening possession of the game saving the ball off a deflection, then the Yellow Jackets walked.
Shoemaker stole the ball and the ensuing shot hit the rim and Betler hauled in the board for Tucker County.
The Mountain Lions launched an errant attempt and Williams collected the rebound for Moorefield.
Mullennex grabbed a defensive rebound and passed to Betler, who scored on a jumper for the initial Tucker County lead at the 6:48 mark.
Just over a minute later after missed shots on both sides and a Mountain Lions turnover plus a blocked shot by Mullennex, Long nailed a 3-pointer.
Mullennex found another defensive board and fed Betler for a slam dunk as the crowd went wild and a timeout was called.
Moorefield’s Jaydon See drove inside drawing a foul, then Long stole the ball and scored at 4:17 for the 9-0 Mountain Lions lead.
After a miss by the Yellow Jackets, Vance stole the ball back and drilled a 3-pointer at the 3:11 mark, 9-3.
Tucker County missed six consecutive field goal attempts during the next series before the Yellow Jackets finally got a rebound by Moran, but a double dribble was called and Betler connected on a jumper with 47 seconds left in the first period for an 11-3 lead.
Both teams had shots go awry to commence the second period, then Moran drew a foul adding one Yellow Jackets free throw with Tucker Couny’s Haden Wamsley grabbing the rebound and making a basket in the paint plus the harm missing the free shot and Betler added the putback for a 15-4 score at the 6:55 mark.
Moorefield’s Jaydon See scored in the paint on the ensuing possession, then Colebank answered with two free throws.
Colebank stole the ball and passed to Betler, who garnered an old-fashioned three-point play to extend thee Mountain Lions advanagege to 20-6 at the 6:15 mark.
Vance hit a jumper for the Yellow Jackets about 15 seconds later.
Tucker County responded with a 3-pointer by Wamsley to go up 23-8.
Moroefield hit the rim twice with rebounds by Shoemaker and Long before a foul by the former.
Moorefield’s Levi Thompson blocked a shot and Shoemaker attempted to corral the ricochet along the baseline which was intercepted and Wamsley knocked down another 3-pointer at 4:40, 26-8.
Three minutes later, Tucker County took its biggest lead of the game 35-10 on a free throw by Colebank.
Moorefield started to make a dent as Williams hit a jumper, then See stole the ball and Shoemaker’s offensive rebound and pass setup a 3-pointer from Vance with Shoemaker notching a steal moments later and Williams drew a foul adding two free throws as the Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to 35-17 within 50 seconds on a seven point swing.
Tucker County added a free throw for a 36-17 halftime score.
Vance collected a defensive rebound off a missed layup to start the third period and fed Moran for a 3-pointer at the 7:34 mark, 36-20.
Mullennex netted a putback for the Mountain Lions, then Moran answered with a jumper.
Long scored inside the paint on the next Tucker County series and Moorefield came back with a fadeaway shot by Vance at 5:57 to make it 40-24.
Moving later into the third period, Shoemaker converted an old-fashioned three-point play for the Yellow Jackets with a minute and change left as the score was now at 47-31.
Colebank hit a jumper for Tucker County, then Vance scorched the nets on the ensuing Moorefield possession.
After a basket by Mullennex, Mongold responded with a jumper with 12 seconds to go.
Tucker County added one free throws by Colebank with one second on the clock to end the third frame up 52-35, then the Yellow Jackets swarmed back for the first road victory by a score of 68-65.
In JV action, Tucker County won 55-48 over the Yellow Jackets.
Moorefield JV squad was led by Dean Keplinger and Peyton Eye with ten points apiece.[/private]