OAK HILL, W.Va. — Darrick McDowell scored a team-best 21 points for Oak Hill as the Red Devils handed Bluefield just their second loss of the season, 63-54 at the Lilly Center.
McDowell’s play on both ends of the floor sparked several mini-runs by the Red Devils. Eight of his points came on offensive rebounds. “When he gets his hands on the ball, he is really good,” said Oak Hill head coach Benitez Jackson.
“He is hard to stop down there. He is about 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. He has good footwork and good touch around the basket. Our main objective is to get him the ball every chance we get.”
Oak Hill (13-4) also received a 14-point performance from Andrew Work. Work recently passed the 1,000-point plateau and was honored for that achievement in a pregame ceremony.
The Red Devils used an 8-0 run late in the first quarter to take a 15-10 lead after the opening stanza. Bluefield countered with a 13-5 spurt late in the second quarter to hold a 30-28 halftime lead. Oak Hill surged ahead late in the third quarter and slowly pulled away in the fourth to post one of their most impressive victories of the season.
The Beavers (12-2) have lost back-to-back games after winning their first 12 games of the season. They were led by Braden Crews’ 26-point effort. Jahiem House added 22 points.
Red Devil players joined their counterparts by wearing maroon pregame warmups jerseys inscribed with Tony Webster’s #5. Webster, a Bluefield junior, passed away last month.
Both teams face road trips on short turnarounds. Oak Hill visits Charleston Catholic Friday while Bluefield makes a trip to Shady Spring.