With Parkersburg coach Phil Wilson watching from the sidelines and Big Reds’ Luke Anderson, far right, waiting to check into the game, Nate Rodriguez (25) dribbles near half-court during Wednesday’s game against Riverside at Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG — When Parkersburg shares the wealth, the Big Reds tend to fare favorably.

Such was the case Wednesday night at Memorial Fieldhouse as four players scored in double figures and two others nearly adding to the total in a 70-55 win over Riverside.

The players in the post led the way for PHS as Zane Lewis and sixth-man Luke Anderson shared team-high honors with 13 points. Isaac Dailey and Nate Rodriguez each pitched in another 12 points.

“When we share the basketball, move the basketball around and bringing three to four double-point scorers … I don’t care who the double-point scorers, good things happen,” PHS coach Phil Wilson said.

The Big Reds, winners in four of their last five games and 4-6 overall, improved to 3-1 in the Mountain State Athletic Conference with another league test on the doorstep Friday against South Charleston.

Parkersburg’s Zane Lewis (1) keeps tabs on Riverside ballhandler Isaiah Coles (1) during Wednesday’s game at Memorial Fieldhouse. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Riverside gave PHS fits in the first quarter – perhaps due to the Big Reds’ own doing. All three PHS 3-pointers for the game fell in the first four minutes of the game and left the Warriors trailing 11-6 before a major dryspell ensued from the outside.

Down 15-10 late in the first quarter, Brycen Slack’s 3-pointer marked the beginning of a 9-0 Riverside run. Warrior point guard Isaiah Coles scored the first three buckets of the second quarter, including the final two as a result of PHS turnovers to leave the Big Reds trailing 19-10 at the 5 ½-minute mark of the second quarter.

Following a PHS timeout, the momentum changed abruptly. The Big Reds started looking for shots in the paint and success followed. They converted 9-of-11 shots in the period and closed the first half with a 20-2 run. Only one shot attempt originated from beyond the arc.

“We haven’t hit any threes all year – we’re just not shooting a good percentage from three,” Wilson said. “You can’t shoot 20 percent from the 3-point line and keep winning, so we need to get the ball inside where we can score the basketball. You can see what happens.

“I tell my outside shooters, if you shoot them you have to make them. I need makers, not shooters. That’s two different things.”

Lewis accounted for nine points during that span, and Anderson added another five points.

“Luke has done a fantastic job since he got moved out of the starting lineup,” coach Wilson said. “He was starting the first five, six games of the season then I decided to start Zane. Ever since then Luke has just flourished.

“Some kids just play better coming off the bench and have that drive. And he seems to be that kid right now. I’m happy with what he is doing right now.”

PHS attempted just five 3-pointers after the first quarter. Even Dailey, who is typically the Big Reds’ point man from beyond the ‘3’, didn’t mind making the sacrifice for the team.

“Sometimes we shoot too many threes and kind of shoot ourselves out of games because we have been struggling with the 3-ball lately,” Dailey said. “When we take our time, get easy shots and don’t rush our shots that’s when we have success.”

The 35-21 cushion at the break expanded to as many as 19 points in the third quarter following an 8-2 mini-run which put the Big Reds in front 49-30.

Another PHS starter, Quinten Wilson, started the spurt by sending a pass inside to a wide-open Chandler Jackson and the easy lay-in. Wilson then followed with a pull-jumper as part of his eight points. Jackson also finished with eight points.

The back-end of the surge included Rodriguez’s nifty inbounds pass underneath his own basket to the interior and a easy bucket for Lewis. Moments later, Rodriguez converted both ends of a two-shot foul.

“I love playing that slot in the post – I can get shots for me and seal off to get shots for (my teammates,” Lewis said. “Our confidence is up – these past few games we have played some good teams. Being 3-1 in the MSAC feels good.

“Going forward, we need to keep working on hitting our shots.”

Riverside never got closer than 14 points before coach Wilson opened the fourth quarter with only one starter on the floor and the Big Reds leading 56-40. The starting five for PHS begin those final eight minutes included two sophomores and two juniors.

The youth fell right into their element and expanded the gap to as many as 20 at 62-42.

“At the beginning of the season, we were struggling and felt like we weren’t playing as a team at all,” Dailey said. “Everytime we were playing, it was like five guys not playing together. But here lately, it feels like we are all playing for each other. It’s really fun to play like that.”

As a program, the Big Reds were able to turn the page on Saturday’s loss to George Washington. Coach Wilson likes the way his team is trending.

“This team still has flashbacks of what our old self was, but when they re-focus and get to where we want to be good things happen,” coach Wilson said. “And that’s what happened tonight. I think the kids are really starting to get it. When we play as a team, we win as a team.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com