The Logan High School Wildcats boys’ basketball team (10-9) went 1-1 over its last two games, with a win Friday over the Scott High School Skyhawks (12-7) and a loss to the Fairmont Senior High School Polar Bears (14-1). Despite coming off a loss, the Wildcats are prepared for their rematch Friday against the team’s cross-county rival, the Chapmanville Regional High School Tigers (14-2).
LOGAN VS. SCOTT RECAP
The rematch between the Wildcats and the Skyhawks looked similar to the two teams' first season encounter, with the game staying close until the buzzer sounded, and ending with a final score of 59-55.
Due to an ankle injury, the Wildcats were without another starter, junior guard Cole Blankenship. The Wildcats started junior guard, Derek Browning in Blankenship’s place, and Browning was ready to step up in his role as a starter.
His teammates refer to Browning as the ‘microwave’ for his ability to come into the game and heat up quickly, and he did just that. Browning finished the game with 22 points, hitting four three-pointers, three of the four falling in the first quarter and shooting six for six from the free-throw line.
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| Derek Browning sinks clutch free throws |
D. Browning earned himself Mountain Dreams Media player of the game for his overall performance, but the team was led in scoring by senior guard Scotty Browning. S. Browning finished the contest with 25 points and 5 rebounds. The two Wildcat guards combined for 47 of the team's points and combined for 10 free throws in the fourth quarter to ice the game.
This increased the Wildcat’s Cardinal Conference to 6-3 and put the Skyhawks at 6-5. Both teams have two conference games left, with the Wildcats to play the Chapmanville Tigers (8-0) and the Wayne Pioneers (1-6), and the Skyhawks also having to face the Tigers and then the Sissonville Indians (0-9).
These final games will help both teams make a case for the first-place seed in the sectional tournament, in which the seeding is decided by the four coaches of the teams competing: The Logan Wildcats, the Scott Skyhawks, the Lincoln County Panthers and the Wayne Pioneers.
LOGAN VS. FAIRMONT SENIOR RECAP
The Wildcats suffered a loss Monday against the Polar Bears in the two teams’ second matchup of the season during the Par Mar Shootout at West Virginia State University. The Wildcats and Polar Bears' first meeting was Dec. 10 at Fairmont Senior High School, where the Polar Bears led in scoring throughout the entire game and walked away victorious 58-46.
The teams’ second meeting was a nail-biter that went down to the wire. The Polar Bears led most of the contest, with the Wildcats fighting back and taking the lead by two with just 1 minute 38 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats increased their lead by six with 33.5 seconds to go, but the Polar Bears refused to give up. The Polar Bears made a quick two-point bucket, forced back-to-back turnovers and capitalized on them by scoring on both offensive possessions, which put the Polar Bears ahead by one point.
The Wildcats had a chance to win after breaking the Polar Bear’s press and Scotty Browning speeding down the court for a transition layup, but just barely laying the ball up short, resulting in the Polar Bears’ win 53-52.
The Wildcat's scoring was led by junior guard, Julius Clancy with 12 points, Scotty Browning with 15 points and Derek Browning with 16 points.
The Polar Bears' scoring was led by senior forward, DeSean Good with 18 points and junior guard, Zycheus Dobbs with 21 points. Dobbs saved the game for the Polar Bears by scoring the team's last seven points and getting them the comeback win.
UP NEXT FOR THE WILDCATS
The Wildcats are set for their rivalry rematch Friday against the Chapmanville Tigers. The Tigers won the first contest in overtime 70-64, with the Wildcats losing Scotty Browning early in the fourth due to concussion. It was a scoring battle between the Wildcat’s Browning, finishing with 24 points, and Tigers senior guard Sal Dean, with 26 points.
The Wildcats will be without two players who played in the two teams’ first meeting this season, senior guard Garrett Williamson due to a knee injury and Cole Blankenship due to an ankle injury, but the team will have a player returning from injury for the game.
Senior forward, Aiden Slack suffered a knee injury before the season began and was uncertain if he would be healed enough to play. With Slack cleared to play, The Wildcats are ready to see him back on the court. Slack is the team's defensive anchor and is always prepared to guard the opposing team’s best player.
With the Wildcats having players back from injury, multiple players performing well off the bench, and the game taking place in their home gym, fans can expect history to repeat itself, with the game having the potential to be another knockdown drag-out.
The game will tip off Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Willie Akers Arena at Logan High School and will be streamed live on Facebook by Mountain Dreams Media.
WILDCATS BLACK HISTORY MONTH TRIBUTE
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| Julius Clancy sporting the BHM jersey |
In honor of Black History Month, The Wildcats will pay homage to the first all-Black school in Logan, West Virginia, Aracoma High School. The Wildcats will wear custom jerseys during the game that read ‘Aracoma’ across the chest, have Aracoma High School’s mascot, the Bulldog, on the shorts and sport the school’s colors of Kelly green and white, which is different from the Wildcat's usual blue and gold.
Aracoma High School began as a two-year high school in Aracoma Village in 1923. The school upgraded to a six-year high school and moved to a 10-room building at Coal Branch in 1929. The school was admitted to the North Central Association in 1933 and remained until it closed in 1962.
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