By GARY DOVE
Bluefield Daily Telegraph


PRINCETON — What looked like a blowout win for Webster County at halftime in the Alpha Natural Resources Holiday Tournament last evening at Princeton High School turned into anything but with 4:11 left in the fourth quarter.

James Monroe had all kinds of troubles in the opening half, from 17 turnovers, including 12 in the first chapter, to 11-of-28 shooting from the field and 3-of-10 from the charity stripe, to being outrebounded 22-18.

Remarked Maverick head coach Johnathan McPherson, “For us when one thing goes wrong, then four or five more things go wrong.”

Battling back from a 45-26 deficit at the break, the Mavs battled back to outgun the Highlanders 18-14 in the third and outscore the Webster Countians 10-2 to start the fourth, cutting the Highlander’s lead to 61-54.

Continued McPherson, “It was a really good effort, trying to fight back. I think the second half was the best we’ve played all year.”

From that seven point differential, Webster County scored 13 of the final 18 points to capture its initial victory of the season.

Robbie Cogar’s 21 points paced the Highlanders, while Dalton Davis contributed 16 and Stephen Cogar added 14.

Senior Jacob McKlarney netted 17 for the 0-7 Mavericks, followed by Rasheed Lowe’s 13 and 10 by Landon Shires.

Spoke Webster head coach Steven Nutter, “I thought we played really well the first half…In the second half, their (Mavs) 1-3-1 caused us some trouble.”

The Highlanders will host Roane County next Friday, while James Monroe is at home versus Summers County Thursday.



At Ralph Ball Court

JAMES MONROE (0-7)

Caleb Spencer 2 1-2 5, Caleb Brown 0 1-2 1, Lance Wilson 1 0-0 2, Dakota Copenhaver 1 0-1 2, Connor Booth 0 1-2 1, Landon Shires 5 0-3 10, Preston Jones 3 0-0 6, Rasheed Lowe 5 3-11 13, Jacob McKlarney 6 1-1 17, Aaron Jones 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 7-22 59.

WEBSTER COUNTY (1-5)

Evan Wayne 2 0-0 6, Logan Taylor 2 0-2 4, Dalton Davis 6 4-5 16, Robbie Cogar 9 0-0 21, Walker Rose 1 2-2 4, Stephen Cogar 6 1-2 14, Travis Williams 1 0-0 3, Jake Thayer 1 2-2 4, Brian Andrews 1 0-0 2. Totals 29 9-13 74.

James Monroe.................12 14 18 15 — 59

Webster County...............23 22 14 15 — 74

3-point goals: JM 4 (McKlarney 4). WC 7 (R. Cogar 3, Wayne 2, S. Cogar 1, Williams 1.

FG shooting: JM 24-63 38.3%, WC 29-63 46.0%.

Three point shooting: JM 4-22 18.2%, WC 7-13 53.8%.

Rebounds: JM 40 (P. Jones 9, Lowe 7), WC 40 (Taylor 7, S. Cogar 7).

Fouled out: JM 0, WC (Andrews).

Turnovers: JM 28, WC 24.