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Teays Valley downs South

Visiting Lions roar past host Patriots

Photo by Jay W. Bennett Parkersburg South’s Cole Plants (13) attempts to block the shot of Teays Valley Christian’s David Mulumba (24) during Saturday’s game inside the Rod Oldham Athletic Center. The visiting Lions roared to a 70-55 triumph.

PARKERSBURG — Parkersburg South, missing two starters due to illness, couldn’t overcome its own shooting woes or the presence of Teays Valley Christian 6-foot-11 pivot Sasha Sukhanov as the Lions roared past the host Patriots here Saturday night inside the Rod Oldham Athletic Center, 70-55.

The junior Sukhanov posted game-highs of 19 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks as the Lions, who outscored the Patriots 41-22 after intermission, improved to 12-7.

Despite not having Bobby Foggin and Shane Snider, the Patriots managed a four-point halftime cushion. Seth Fallon scored nine of his baker’s dozen in the opening quarter for the hosts, but South (7-5) found itself down 18-13.

A strong second quarter which saw the Patriots hit 4 of 7 from downtown allowed head coach Mike Fallon’s squad, which plays Tuesday at University, to carry a 33-29 lead into the break. Cole Plants, who had 18 points and 10 boards, got a hanging floater in the lane to fall through the cylinder with about two seconds left to make it a four-point advantage at half.

TVC fed Sukhanov early in the second half and the Russian had four of the Lions’ first six buckets of the third, including a dunk. Following his hoop from a Hayden Shelton (nine points) assist, the Lions led 41-38, but Brayden Mooney tied it up with a 3.

With 3:07 left in the third, Marek Iwanowicz hit from downtown to put the visitors ahead for good at 44-41. A mere 1:05 later, Sukhanov thought he had been unnecessarily contacted to the upper body by a Patriot, but it was the near 7-footer who was called for a technical, which didn’t hurt his team as South missed both of the charity stripe tosses.

Alex Woolard, who finished with 10 points, canned a 3 with 80 seconds left in the frame to make it 46-44, but on the next trip down the floor that bomb was answered by Iwanowicz, who finished with 13 points.

Plants’ driving lay-in with a kiss before the buzzer closed the deficit to 51-46 entering the final eight minutes, but the margin never got any closer.

Parkersburg South, which shot less than 29 percent (19 of 67) from the field and hit only 10 of 35 from 3-point land, got 11 points from Mooney.

David Mulumba added 13 points for the Lions while teammate Noah Wimbish chipped in 10 markers.

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