|
By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Hunter McCoy canned a three-point shot from the corner with 7.2 seconds remaining to lift Wirt County to an 88-86 come-from-behind victory over visiting Calhoun County Friday night.
Although Calhoun did manage to get a last second shot off it rolled around the rim and down before spinning out to the delight of the Wirt crowd and the dismay of a rather large and boisterous Calhoun crowd.
And it left the non-winning monkey squarely on Calhoun's back.
"We're going to win one and get rid of it," Calhoun coach Danny Bunch said. "We have a team now and we're going to win some games."
And Calhoun did put forth a team effort despite falling to 0-2.
Calhoun, sporting new black uniforms, had several players notch season and career best including leading scorer Ryan Slider with 35, Tyler Sims with 15 and Sam Brady with 12.
But Wirt, too, had a trio in double figures led by Kalob Bell's game high 38. He was followed by McCoy with 19 and Dustin Garner with 15.
Calhoun jumped on Wirt early and threatened to make it a blowout only to the Tigers rally.
The Red Devils, 0-2, took early command and jumped out to a 20-10 lead. But Wirt enjoyed a 29-19 advantage in the second quarter and tied the game at 39-39 at the half.
The two teams battled on relatively even ground in the second half with Calhoun taking a 67-63 lead at the end of three. But the Red Devils could not deliver the knockout blow and when McCoy hit his three-pointer it gave the Tigers the lead for good.p>
Calhoun lost three players to fouls during the game as the two teams combined for 67 fouls and 94 free throws - Wirt shot 50 as Bell was 13 for 23 at the foul line - as Tyler Gerwig, Brady and Ethyn Miller all fouled out.
Gerwig got nine before fouling out while Mason Sheldon added seven with Luke Sheldon getting four - the last four Calhoun scored - after coming into the game in the fourth quarter when the Red Devils lost their three players. Miller added three, Lucas Wilson one and Cody Starcher played but did not score.
Ricky Conley and Mark Cunningham backed Wirt's Big Three with five each while Tristan Nichols added four and Austin Young two.
Calhoun out rebounded the taller Tigers 60-57 with Slider coming away with 18. The Red Devils also had 12 assists, six steals and one block.
Calhoun wore black because the uniform supplier could not get the Red Devils away red uniforms ready in time and offered Calhoun the black uniforms with the silk-screened red numbers to use gratis until the red ones were ready.
The junior varsity game was almost as exciting as Wirt took a 50-47 victory despite Luke Sheldon's 21-point effort amassed in only three quarters of play.
The Tigers' victory came despite Calhoun's furious comeback that saw it rally from a first quarter 18-4 hole.
Zack Yanero followed Sheldon with a career-high 13 points. They were backed by Dylan Heiney with six, Austin Gribble and Chris Thornton with three each and Jarvis with one. Nick Watkins, Riley Cain and Jerry Jones all played but did not score.
Trace Copen led Wirt with 12 while Jason Ellison added 10.
Wirt County, 1-1, will be at home against South Harrison Wednesday night while Calhoun entertains Roane County the same night.
| 
