2024-03-30 05:26:46
Belpre’s Blake Church (21) handles the ball as Doddridge County’s Brandon Hileman (1) defends during Friday’s BACF All-Star game.
(Photo by Kerry Patrick)
PARKERSBURG — In the 21st annual Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis Basketball Classic, the boys representing Ohio held onto a sizable lead well into the third quarter. However, West Virginia managed to hang in there and tie the game at 103-103, giving Logan Alfred of Ravenswood the chance to make the game-winning shot. With around 10 seconds left, he received a pass from South’s Cole Joy and banked it in to win by a final of 105-103.
Alfred walked through those final moments, “We were just trying to hold onto the ball for one shot, and we got to the top with I think 11 seconds left. They were doubling Cole (Joy), so when they went to double, my guy turned his back and I just went in the back door and I was wide open.”
He described what it was like to hit the game-winning shot in an all-star game, “It felt pretty good. The game wasn’t intense until the fourth quarter, but it felt good to hit it.”
Despite facing a 55-41 deficit at halftime, West Virginia was optimistic that things would turn around, “We just couldn’t get our shots to fall, but I think we knew coming into the second half that we’d hit some, and we did,” Alfred said.
For Alfred, who contributed 17 points for West Virginia, the BACF Basketball Classic offered him an unexpected chance at one last game on the court for a good cause, “I think it’s a great opportunity. For me, it’s my senior year and I thought I was done with basketball until my coach told me about it and what it was for. I just thought it was a great idea and that I’d love to.”
Marietta’s Elyjah Lieras-Kelley (1) handles the ball as Parkersburg Catholic’s Gideon Wilson (11) defends during Friday’s BACF All-Star game.
(Photo by Kerry Patrick)
Ohio led through three quarters in part due to the efforts of Ohio’s MVP Tariq Cottrill of Federal Hocking, who had a game-high 26 points and 18 from beyond the arc. Fellow Lancer Andrew Airhart had four 3s and 14 points. Also with 14 points for Ohio was Derek Liston of the Belpre Golden Eagles.
West Virginia’s MVP was Buckhannon-Upshur big man Jaden Westfall, who had 23 points and five rebounds. His presence down low allowed the team to capitalize on high-percentage shots during their successful rally. West Virginia’s other top scorers included South’s Jackson Smith and Sawyer VanMatre, both with 13 points.
In the boys 3-point contest, Mickey Guerra of Paden City finished as runner-up. Calhoun County’s Landon Bennett won the contest for the Red Devils.
The Marietta Tigers swept the dunk contest, with Elyjah Lieras-Kelley coming in second and Izak Knighten taking home first place.
Knighten said that his goal during the dunk contest was to, “(try) to do something different.” He finished with a cumulative score of 135 compared to Lieras-Kelley’s 107 as determined by the judges.
Federal Hocking’s Tariq Cottrill, right, handles the ball during Friday’s BACF All-Star game.
(Photo by Kerry Patrick)
Knighten, fresh off a 13-point performance in his final game, described what it was like to play basketball with a whole new team on short notice, and the positives he found, “We’re all new to each other, but we still had fun, still made jokes and made the best of it. It was a great game.”
“It was a great feeling. I had a few weeks off, then was able to get back in one last time and have a good time playing basketball,” he concluded.
For one player on the court, the cause of cystic fibrosis hit especially close to home. Wahama’s Bryce Zuspan was diagnosed with the disorder around nine months ago. He described what it was like to represent those living with CF while participating in the game, “It was just a great honor. With the medication that this organization (The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation) right here (helps create), and fundraisers like this, the improvements have been historic.
“I thought it was a great game,” continued Zuspan, who had 13 points and got to play for his father, Wahama head coach Billy Zuspan, one last time. “A lot of great talent out there. A lot of hot shooters, it felt like everything was going in. Just a really fun night to play basketball.”
Contact Aaron Lee at [email protected]
Buckhannon-Upshur’s Jaden Westfall, right, attacks the basket as Belpre’s Derek Liston defends during Friday’s BACF All-Star game.
(Photo by Kerry Patrick)
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