The Shadow
HOT SPRINGS – The Pocahontas County Warriors found their mark in the second half.
In the span of eight minutes, they turned a one-point halftime deficit into a comfortable lead.
Jimmy Wiley and Jerry Simonin combined for 60 points Wednesday night, leading Pocahontas County to an 83-67 win over the thin Bath County Chargers.
Eric Gentry led three Chargers in double figures with 28 points, while Dillon Fry added 15 and Colby Bosserman scored 10. Bath County coach David Herscher had only seven players available for Wednesday night’s game.
“With small numbers, we are obviously dealing with some major issues, but this is as strong as our pack has been all season,” said Herscher, whose Chargers dipped to 2-4 on the season.
“Fatigue did get us, but we rebounded more effectively, and we played better defense,” the Bath County coach added.
Trailing 33-32 at the half, the Warriors scored the first 13 points of the third quarter to take a 45-33 advantage with Simonin and Wiley leading the way.
Simonin started the run with a bucket, and Wiley closed the flurry with a 3-pointer, as the Warrior lead reached a dozen.
Bosserman momentarily stopped the bleeding with a 3-ball at the 5:57 mark of the third quarter, but the damage was done.
Wiley would score 18 of his game-high 31 points in the third quarter, and Pocahontas led after three, 61-46.
The Chargers cut their deficit to eight at 71-63 midway through the fourth quarter on a pair of Gentry free throws, but they could get no closer.
Pocahontas reeled off the next six points to lead 77-63 and seal the victory.
“I was really pleased with the effort,” Herscher added. “Our effort tonight was as good as it’s been all year.”
Neither team led by more than three points in the first half. A Fry free throw gave the Chargers a 33-30 lead at the 1:10 mark of the second quarter, but Wiley later hit a pair from the foul line to cut the Pocahontas deficit to 33-32 at the half.
The second half was an entirely different story, though. The visitors from West Virginia outscored their Bath County hosts, 51-34.
“We really played a good first half, but the numbers caught up with us,” Herscher said.
In addition to Wiley’s 31, Simonin had 29 for the Warriors, while Tanner Graham added 11.
Aaron Newmarker just missed double figures for the Chargers with eight points. Ryan Newmarker led the Chargers on the boards with 11, while Aaron Newmarker and Walker Ryder had nine rebounds apiece.
Coach Kris Phillips and the Chargers jayvees earned a split of the evening’s festivities with a nail-biting 43-41 win in the opener.
Joe Ingram led the Chargers with 14 points, while Xavier Smothers added nine. Matt Quantz and Chris Nichols each scored eight, while Ethan Wrights and Ryan Plecker rounded out the Bath County scoring with two apiece.
Skyler Knisely led the Warriors with 13 points.
Pocahontas led at the break, 20-19.
With the win, the Chargers improved to 2-0 on the season.
Bath County is back in action Friday when they host Alleghany.
