CHARLESTON – Morgantown and Parkersburg South have produced multiple memorable games at the state tournament in recent years.
The latest chapter was no different as the two sides faced off in the Class AAAA state boys basketball tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday, with the Mohigans earning a 59-50 victory to advance to Friday’s semifinals against No. 3 George Washington.
MHS led 40-39 entering the fourth quarter and used an 11-2 run in the game’s final three minutes to pull away down the stretch.
Four Mohigans scored in double figures, led by Waylon Colistra with 16 points (7/10 FG). Max Frey added 12, while Marty Johnson and Demarcus Bandy each tallied 11. Brady Savage scored nine points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished five assists for MHS.
Navi Hewitt led Parkersburg South with 19 points. Harry Silvis added ten for the Patriots.
“Super proud of our effort today, Parkersburg South is a tough matchup for us,” MHS head coach Dave Tallman said. “Their length and athleticism, the way they shoot and handle it. Brady Savage played his guts out tonight guarding all of their guards; I’m very proud of him. We knew the key coming into the game was rebounding, and we got them 32 to 20; that was the key to the game today.”
Parkersburg South jumped out to an early 9-2 lead on a triple by Hewitt, but the Mohigans closed the first quarter on an 11-2 run to take a one-possession lead into the second.
The two sides traded baskets throughout the second quarter. A jumper by Johnson put MHS ahead 22-18 with 3:05 left to play in the first half. Hewitt answered with a layup, and Tahj Joyce added another bucket for South to punch back.
The game entered halftime tied at 24.
Harry Silvis gave Parkersburg South a 27-26 lead with a triple to begin the third and added his second less than 60 seconds later.
The Patriots held a slim lead through the frame, much like the Mohigans did through the second. But MHS took a one-point lead into the fourth with a layup by Frey to end the quarter.
The Patriots took a 41-40 lead to open the final quarter with a layup by Matthew Mullen, but a free throw by Colistra, followed by a triple by Bandy, gave the lead back to the Mohigans 44-41.
Joyce answered with a jumper, but Bandy fired back for MHS with a tough finish on the other end.
Silvis nailed another three, then Colistra converted a layup to push the lead back to three, 48-45.
Cam Fallon tied the game with a three-point play for Parkersburg South but the Mohigans would put their foot on the gas from there.
Frey shook free on the ensuing possession and nailed a deep triple to put MHS ahead for good, 51-48.
“There wasn’t anybody near me so I just shot it,” Frey said. “We work on that shot every day in practice, and I was just hoping I would hit it.”
“Shoutout to my brother (and assistant coach) Nate Tallman; that’s actually a new set we put in a few days ago,” Tallman said.
MHS closed the game on an 11-2 run in the final three minutes to secure its spot in the next round.
No. 2 Morgantown and No. 3 George Washington will tip at 7:15 p.m. on Friday in the Class AAAA semifinals.
BOX SCORE
Morgantown 59, Parkersburg South 50
PSHS 11 13 15 11 – 50
MHS 13 11 16 19 – 59
Parkersburg South – Hewitt 6 4-4 19 Silvis 3 2-2 10 Joyce 4 0-0 8 Mullen 3 0-0 6 Nutter 1 2-4 4 Fallon 1 1-1 3
Morgantown – Colistra 7 2-6 16 Frey 5 0-0 12 Johnson 1 9-16 11 Bandy 4 1-2 11 Savage 4 1-2 9
3pt goals made – Parkersburg South 5 (Hewitt 3 Silvis 2); Morgantown 4 (Frey 2 Bandy 2)
