CHARLESTON, W.Va. — By and large, free-throw shooting has been a strength for Tucker County for much of this season.
That was anything but the case Tuesday in a Class A quarterfinal against Huntington St. Joe at the Charleston Coliseum, but the Mountain Lions were able to do enough well elsewhere to lead for the majority and final 12 minutes of a 59-57 win over the Irish.
“I’m really proud. We’ve had so many ups and downs and injuries,” Mountain Lions’ coach Daniel Helmick said. “We’re finally getting healthy at the right time and getting back to looking like the old Tucker County.”
The result sends No. 6 TCHS (17-8) to a Thursday semifinal, where the winner of Tug Valley-Ritchie County awaits. The No. 3 Irish finish 15-9.
Tucker never trailed in the first quarter and finished it with a 16-13 lead after the two teams traded three-pointers over the final minute of the frame. Mikey Mitchell and Cayden Arnold connected from long range for the Mountain Lions, while Micaiah Ehirim and Isiah Sanders counted for St. Joe.
Facing a 20-13 deficit, the Irish put together their best stretch of the outing over a 3-minute stretch of the second quarter, utilizing a 10-0 run to go on top. Tucker Watts’ driving layup marked the start of the Irish run, which also included two layups from Ehirim, two free throws from Grady Paynter and a close range basket from Brayden McDowell.
A triple from Carson Dearborn 1:55 before halftime tied it at 23, and that’s where the teams stood at the break.
“They’re athletic and quick as heck,” Helmick said of the Irish. “That’s why we play the schedule we play. We play everybody, so we’re ready to roll.”
Sanders’ driving layup 1:38 into the second quarter left the Irish with a 27-25 advantage that proved to be their lone lead of the second half.
Tucker responded with an 8-0 spurt courtesy of five points from Dearborn and Mitchell’s three that made it 33-27 with 3:19 left in the third. Ehirim sat for nearly half of the third quarter after being whistled for his second, third and fourth personal fouls in a span of 44 seconds, while the Mountain Lions settled for a 38-34 advantage through three frames. After shooting 3 for 10 in the second, Tucker made 6-of-11 shots in the third.
MetroNews broadcast interview with Tucker County head coach Daniel Helmick following their 59-57 win over Huntington St. Joseph’s in the Class A quarterfinals: #wvprepbb pic.twitter.com/PChYSpEfJe
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“They set a lot of screens. We knew that their offense was very detailed,” Irish coach Josh Harris said. “These guys run really good sets and we were trying avoid get face cut. A lot of times, we got confused on our defensive sets. Everything happens in the paint and once they got the ball there, they finished it off.”
Dearborn opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a trey and when teammate Ethan Cummings scored inside, the Mountain Lions were on top 43-34 with 6:05 remaining.
The Irish got to within four three times over the next 3-plus minutes, including a 48-44 deficit after Ehirim scored with 2:57 left.
Cayden Arnold answered with one of the more pivotal buckets in the contest, and Cummings scored with 2:27 to play for an eight-point advantage.
Tucker left the door open for St. Joe with its poor free-throw shooting, but Mitchell went 2 for 2 with 17 seconds remaining to give his team a four-point lead. The advantage moved to five before St. Joe’s Brody Runyon drained a triple just before time expired.
“They sped us up in the fourth. We’ll watch film and talk,” Helmick said. “The kids battled their butts off. Defense goes with you, so it should be there again Thursday.”
Dearborn scored a team-high 14 points on 5-for-5 shooting with three triples. Arnold and Mitchell scored 12 apiece in the win.
“We want him to just play free and have fun,” Helmick said of Mitchell. “He’s skilled as heck. We need all hands on deck.”
Xander Lambert and Samuel Marks were Tucker’s top rebounders with eight apiece and helped the Mountain Lions win the board battle, 45-34.
TCHS shot far better from the field (21 for 40) than free-throw line (11 for 25).
“We’ve been good at shooting free throws all year. I’m so shocked,” Helmick said.
Sanders led St. Joe with a game-high 22 points and made all but one of his five three-point attempts. Ehirim contributed 10 points and eight rebounds in defeat.
The Irish had only nine of 27 turnovers between the two teams, but shot 19 for 60.
“I didn’t feel like we’d be on this end today. We were nervous in the beginning, but in the second quarter, we really turned it up,” Harris said. “Our defense was excellent in the second quarter and got us right back in the game. In the third quarter, we were a little flat, but my favorite part about this game is these guys didn’t quit. They fought until the end. We were down nine late and could’ve quit.”