PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Parkersburg South scored the first 10 points of Tuesday’s matchup with Capital, helping the Patriots ensure they’d play with a lead throughout.
Seemingly every time the Cougars made a run, of which there were several, PSHS turned to its standout senior Harry Silvis.
Silvis scored 20 first-half points and did even more damage over the final two quarters to easily led all players with 44 points and key the Patriots to an 81-69 victory in an up-and-down affair.
“It’s tough. You score and the first thing you have to think about is getting back on defense to stop them,” Silvis said. “Both teams are tired. It was a track race all night and a high-scoring game. We had to get back quick, they had to get back quick and it was fun.”
Silvis scored five of the first eight points and after Matthew Mullen converted a layup, Parkersburg South (2-0) led 10-0.
The Cougars (2-1) took better care of the basketball after the first 5 minutes and trailed 22-10 after one quarter.
A conventional three-point play from Cam Fallon combined with a triple from Bowen Rader allowed the Patriots to lead by 16 early in the second quarter, and the advantage grew to 41-20 later in the frame after Silvis and teammate Logan Graham accounted for consecutive baskets.
“That’s kind of why we wanted to get back into the MSAC. We want to play up and down,” Patriots’ head coach Mike Fallon said. “We knew coming in they were going to run and press us and we were going to run and press them. We just felt we were in a little bit better shape and we’d be able to handle that a little bit better.”
Capital followed with its best stretch of the opening half. A De’Shad Williams trey marked the start of a 9-1 spurt that ended with Camdyn Harris’ conventional three-point play and enabled the visitors to cut their halftime deficit to 42-29.
“Right before the half, we had a 16 or 18-point lead and took two bad shots in a row, they got an and-1 and scored another bucket at the buzzer and cut it to 13,” coach Fallon said. “If we put them away before the half, I think it might be a little bit different.”
Silvis, who scored 14 points in the first quarter added six more in the second, picked up where he left off and opened the second-half scoring with his third triple.
But the Cougars continued to counter, and when Williams connected on a pull-up jumper with 3:46 left in the period, Capital’s deficit was 50-40.
“Our guys fought and that was good to see,” Capital head coach Cookie Miller said.
The Patriots answered with a pivotal 11-3 run to again create separation. It began with two free throws from Silvis, before Baron Davis high post jumper and a Silvis bucket off a drive to the basket. Mullen’s follow-up and a Silvis triple for the final points of the third enabled PSHS to enter the fourth with a commanding 61-43 advantage.
“He’s been a shooter for three years in a row,” coach Fallon said of Silvis. “Now he’s a basketball player.”
Parkersburg South’s Harry Silvis discusses his 44-point performance in the Patriots’ 81-69 win over Capital.#wvprepbb pic.twitter.com/goVmmR53BK
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Miller’s team continued to battle late and got treys early in the fourth from Davis Thomas and Harris to trail 64-51. Thomas’ layup with 2:20 remaining trimmed the Patriots’ advantage to 71-61, but Silvis made two free throws 9 seconds later and connected on 6-of-8 attempts from the charity stripe over the final 2:11 to help his team maintain its distance.
Silvis shot 14 for 25 from the field and 11 of 16 on free throws. He also added six rebounds.
“Capital is very aggressive and they were all over us, so I wasn’t able to get to my shot as clean as normal,” Silvis said. “I had to get downhill more. I got a few layups in the first half, and when you’re getting downhill a lot and a team is playing aggressive, you take it strong and they’re going to foul you eventually, so you can get to the line.”
Rader added nine points in the win, all of which he scored in the first half. Mullen contributed eight points and a game-high eight rebounds, helping the Patriots win the board battle, 39-27.
Williams led Capital with 15 points and was one of three double-figure scorers in defeat. Thomas scored 14 and Kahsi Morgan added 10.
“It’s a great win for them. At the end of the day, we go back to the drawing board,” Miller said. “The good thing about this is it’s early and we have time to regroup. We’ll be there. I’ll make sure my guys will be there.”