MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Strength in numbers is quite an asset for Morgantown’s boys basketball team.
Despite being down two players for Saturday’s matchup with Saint John’s Catholic Prep (Md.), the Mohigans’ depth was again on display and then some.
Eight different players scored at least six points and Morgantown had its way from start to finish in a 90-49 home victory over the Vikings to wrap up the Hope Gas Holiday Classic.
“All these guys are good players. They’re very committed and worked hard in the offseason,” Mohigans’ head coach Dave Tallman said. “They all deserve to be out there, so we’ve had to come up with a strategy to try and play these guys because they all deserve to be out there. Our pressure style so far has been good.”
The Mohigans (4-0) forced nine turnovers in the opening quarter, which they concluded with a 22-8 lead to ensure the Vikings faced a significant deficit for much of the matchup.
One day after watching University rely heavily on pressure defense to complete a comeback win against Saint John’s Catholic, Tallman had his team employ a similar strategy that was quite effective, though that was anything but opponent-specific.
“University was down and pressured them at the end and it really changed the game,” Tallman said. “That’s what we’re going to do. You can tell everybody in the state that we’re going to press them, because that’s what we’re going to do this year. There’s no secret.”
Morgantown accounted for the first three field goals of the second quarter, including a Cam Kellogg three-pointer for a 29-9 advantage.
The teams were relatively even over the final 6 minutes of the first half, which ended with Morgantown on top, 46-24.
Waylon Colistra led Morgantown and all players with 14 points through two quarters, while he and Kellogg combined to equal the Vikings’ offensive output.
Colistra scored six of his team’s first nine points in the second half, while a trey from Marcus Goins upped the advantage for the home team to 58-29 in the third.
MHS settled for a 66-35 lead through three and cruised the rest of the way.
“You’re playing so hard and fast on defense and on offense, sometimes we take quick shots when they’re not really necessary,” Tallman said. “That’s just trying to get them to downshift a little bit. They’re going to get used to playing at that speed. We’re not making as many shots as usual, but that’s just because we’re kind of playing fast.“
Colistra made 11-of-13 shots and led all players with 24 points to spark his team’s 57 percent effort from the field.
Jayden Smalls followed with 14 points and Kellogg scored 12.
Million Fessuh led the Vikings with 11 points.
SJC had 25 turnovers, while the Mohigans had eight.
MHS was without Maddox Twigg (sickness) and Sam Frey (ankle injury).