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Top seeds win middle school hoops tourney title

VanDevender’s Daniel Wharton drives past Blennerhassett’s Jyles Johnson during the middle school basketball tournament’s 7th/8th grade game Thursday at the Memoiral Fieldhouse. Photo by Steve Hemmelgarn.

PARKERSBURG — Both top seeds captured Wood County middle school boys basketball tournament trophies Thursday night at PHS Memorial Fieldhouse.

But the best finish of the night was saved for last in the 7th-8th grade championship contest as No. 1 seed Blennerhassett staged a dramatic comeback in the final 2:08 of play to overcome a five-point deficit and notch a 49-43 win over second-seeded VanDevender.

It was the culmination of a tight game that the Bobcats led all the way through, but not by that much, until the first score in the fourth quarter, a basket by the Blue Devils’ Daniel Wharton all alone on the baseline to give VanDevender a 54-53 lead.

The lead then exchanged hands twice before Vandy built a 43-38 lead with just 2:51 left.

But the Bobcats showed they had some bite left at that point.

Grant Hussey scored in the lane and followed with a trey at 1:43 to gain a 43-all tie. Then Levi Rice put in a rebound bucket for a 45-43 lead, and Michael Martin tallied with 58.9 seconds to go and was fouled on the play but missed the free throw. Rice, however, was Johnny on the spot again with another rebound put-back for a hoop at 55.9 seconds to complete an 11-0 run to secure the win.

“We kept our poise down five there and were able to come back and win,” said Blennerhassett head coach Brian Blanc. “I’m glad they got that chance to prove themselves, come back from behind with so little time left in the game.”

The Bobcats, who finished unbeaten at 14-0, were led by Hussey with 14 points and Nathaniel Martin with 12, while Vandy, which deserved a better fate, ended up 11-4 with three losses to Blennerhassett. The Devils got 10 points each from Julian Martin, Azarian Grim and Jake Leisure.

In the 6th grade tourney finale earlier in the evening, top seed VanDevender bested second seed Blennerhassett, 58-21,

The Blue Devils were in control from the very start, jumping out 12-0 after just a quarter. The Bobcats finally scored to open the second stanza. But by halftime, the count was 31-5 and going to the fourth quarter, it was 48-12.

Vandy (10-2) was led by Aiden Vega with 15 points and Dylan Stone with 14, while Blennerhassett (9-3) was paced by Mason Reams with eight points.

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