P.O. Box 651
Mount Savage, MD 21545
P.O. Box 651
Mount Savage, MD 21545
Preston handles Southern Garrett
Knights are No. 1 in West Virginia's Class AAA
Hegeman: 'It was a bad game for us not to shoot the ball well'
By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
KINGWOOD, W.Va., Jan 29 -- The Southern Garrett boys basketball team held one of the best teams assembled in the state of West Virginia to a mere 11 points in the first quarter.
Unfortunately for the Rams, they were limited to four points in the same eight minutes en route to a 64-43 loss Saturday to the Preston Knights, who are ranked No. 1 in the West Virginia Associated Press poll.
Only Calvin Hilliard broke into double figures for Southern Garrett, which suffered its third loss of the season - and second to Preston - and fell to 11-3 overall. Preston, meanwhile, has only a single loss and improved to 12-1 this year. Preston beat the Rams earlier this season, 46-43.
On Saturday, the Knights tallied 40 points after three quarters of play -- they held a 24-15 halftime advantage -- and outscored the Rams 24-11 in the fourth.
The Rams shot just 37.8 percent from the floor. The Knights, meanwhile, countered with a field goal percentage of 55.6 percent.
"They have five very good players that work good together," Rams coach Jon Hegeman said in an e-mail, noting Preston might be the best team Southern Garrett has faced this season. "We could not make shots. Some was due to their defense but most were open shots that we normally knock down. It was a bad game for us not to shoot the ball well, against a very good opponent."
Despite the loss, Southern Garrett is expected to retain its No. 1 ranking in the weekly Power Rankings as compiled by PhDispatch.com. The Rams are undefeated through nine games in the Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference and beat former No. 1 Bishop Walsh in overtime on Jan. 18.
Preston 64
Southern Garrett 45
SOUTHERN GARRETT (11-3)
Gangler 2 0-0 5, McBee 3 0-0 9, Kisselovich 3 0-0 6, Ritchie 1 3-3 5, Miller 3 0-0 6, Shotwell 1 0-0 2, Hilliard 4 2-2 10. Totals 17 5-5 45.
PRESTON (12-1)
Thompson 3 1-2 8, Contic 4 0-0 11, Wagner 4 0-0 10, Murry 9 2-2 20, C. Goff 4 4-4 12, R. Goff 1 0-0 3. Totals 25 7-8 64.
S. Garrett 4 11 17 11 -- 43
Preston 11 13 16 24 -- 64
3-pointers: Southern Garrett 4 (McBee 3, Gangler). Preston 7 (contic 3, Wagner 2, Thompson, R. Goff).