By Mike Frank
Examiner Sports Writer
It was a matter of adjustments that paid off big.
West Liberty-Salem wrapped up 2024 with a 55-30 victory at home over West Jefferson on Monday night in Ohio Heritage Conference boys basketball action.
The Tigers now sit at 4-1 in the OHC and 4-2 overall.
West Liberty-Salem built an early lead and kept in front, although West Jefferson stayed close. The Roughriders tied it a couple times late in the first half and were down just two at the break.
Things shifted dramatically in the third period, as West Liberty-Salem held the Riders to just four points and drained shots from all over the court to seize control. They kept the big margin safe down the home stretch.
The Tigers had good balance on offense, with 15 by Brevin Louden and 10 from Carson Poppe, plus nine by Garrett Wallen and seven by Isaiah Reames.
“I think our full-court zone pressure threw them off, just chemistry-wise,” said Tigers coach Darrin Leichty. “It wore them down mentally by the end of the third quarter. Then you sprinkle a few shots that we had, and it was kind of a dagger for them.”
As noted, the Tigers got contributions from several players, as Taran Logwood is currently sidelined with an injury. “Carson (Poppe) kind of spearheaded that. His physicality really bothered the Buescher kid. The guys followed the scouting report and did exactly what they were supposed to do.”
For West Jefferson (2-3 OHC, 3-4 overall), Austin Buescher had nine points and Nick Fitzpatrick scored eight.
After trading baskets a couple of times to begin the contest, WL-S got a baseline runner by Louden and a bucket by Sutton Wilcoxon, then a steal and layup by Reames to go up 10-4. The Roughriders broke a drought with just under three minutes to go on a basket by Fitzpatrick. Wallen nailed a corner three in response. The Riders’ Logan Hart got a shot to drop with a minute to play, making it 13-8 after the first.
The teams spent a good chunk of the second quarter going back and forth, with neither able to add to its tally. The first points came with 4:35 to go on a three by West Jeff’s Colton Kincade. Buescher did hit a couple of shots after that, but the Tigers answered both times. The first was by Poppe and the other came from Reames. After one more score by the Riders, WL-S fired up a long shot with a couple seconds remaining. The ball hit off the backboard, with Wilcoxon able to put it back up and in at the horn for a 19-17 advantage.
Following the intermission, Reames opened matters with a three-pointer, followed by a score from Louden. West Jefferson got baskets by Evan Switalski and Fitzpatrick. However, it would prove to be their only ones of the entire period.
Three scores by West Liberty-Salem — a drive by Louden, Caleb Hershberger from deep, and Poppe on a nice drop step — led to a Riders timeout with 2 1/2 minutes left.
Things kept piling up for the Tigers, though, and they were ahead 39-21, heading to the fourth period.
Wallen drained his third three-pointer of the night from the corner to start the final stanza and Poppe followed with a score to push the lead over 20 points.
From there, West Liberty-Salem kept working and firing, with younger players taking the court in the final couple of minutes. They would hold West Jefferson to nine, meaning they did not reach double digits in any period.
Both junior varsity teams won to remain undefeated at 6-0.
The “A” team won 53-15. Casey Boyer had 18 points and Beckett Sullivan scored 10, with six by Sam Strapp for the Tigers.
In the “B” game, WL-S defeated London 42-38. Brayan Gullett (12) and Zeke Longshore (10) were the leading scorers for the Tigers.
West Liberty-Salem kicks off the new year with a game Friday at Northeastern.
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Score by quarters
Roughriders 8. 9. 4. 9. — 30
Tigers 13. 6. 20. 15. — 55
West Jefferson (2-3, 3-4)
Nate Godinez 0 0-0 0; Colton Kincade 1 0-0 3; Austin Buescher 4 0-0 9; Carter Romans 1 0-0 2; Evan Switalski 2 0-0 4; Logan Hart 2 0-0 4; Nick Fitzpatrick 3 2-2 8; Memphis Book 0 0-0 0; Braxton Vance 0 0-0 0; Brodie Quinn 0 0-0 0; TOTALS 13 2-2 30.
WL-S (4-1, 4-2)
Isaiah Reames 3 0-2 7; Troy Christison 1 0-0 2; Sutton Wilcoxon 2 0-1 4; Sam Strapp 1 0-0 2; Conner Leichty 0 0-0 0; Beckett Sullivan 0 0-0 0; Caleb Hershberger 2 0-0 6; Brevin Louden 7 0-0 15; Carson Poppe 5 0-2 10; Garrett Wallen 3 0-0 9; Josiah Johnson 0 0-0 0; TOTALS 24 0-5 55.