Logan's Cole Blankenship (3) goes in for two of his 11 points during the second half of Logan's 65-58 victory over Tug Valley Saturday night at Tug Valley High School (File Photo: Boothe Davis/Captured by the Moment Photography).
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
UPDATE: An arrest resulted from the altercation in the closing moments of the Tug Valley and Logan game between the Mingo County Sheriff and a Logan fan. Read more at the following link:
NAUGATUCK Class AAA No. 3 Logan overcame a 16-point first half deficit to defeat Class A No. 7 Tug Valley 65-58 Saturday night before a near capacity crowd at Tug Valley High School.
Losers of four straight games, for the first time since the 2015-2016 season, and staring a 16-point first deficit in the face, it would appear that Logan was well on its way to losing five consecutive games for the first time since dropping five in a row to close the 2012-2013 season.
Instead, the Wildcats gradually chipped away, the deficit was cut to 10 points at halftime, then seven by the end of the third quarter before Logan closed the game on a 21-6 spurt in the final five minutes to complete the comeback.
Tug Valley’s Parker Davis drove baseline for a one-hand slam with 5:18 remaining, giving the Panthers a 52-44 lead, as the home faithful rose to its feet in excitement.
The dunk, as exciting as it was, may have been the downfall of the Panthers as Logan raced quickly up the court missing a shot, however the Panthers turned the ball over and McCormick Ilderton found a streaking Cole Blankenship for a layup with 4:49 to play.
Blankenship was fouled on the play, and calmly sank the free throw to complete the 3-point play bringing Logan to within five, 52-47.
Blankenship’s basket sparked an 11-0 Logan run. Logan took its first lead of the contest, 53-52, with 3:22 to play when Garrett Williamson hit a cutting Ilderton with a thread the needle bounce pass for a backdoor layup.
Scotty Browning led Logan (6-5) and all scorers with 26 points on 9-21 shooting and 3-4 from 3-point range, while Blankenship finished with 11 points, Julius Clancy had nine points and a team-high eight rebounds while Williamson contributed eight points for the Wildcats.
Parker Davis led Tug Valley (4-3) in scoring with 17 points on 6-13 shooting. Joey Gollihue scored 13 points and Buddy Marcum added 11 points and seven rebounds.
While the Wildcats were completing the comeback, things intensified, and tempers flared on the court in the final minute.
The comeback, a story on its own, was overshadowed by an altercation with 0:31 remaining in the game when Tug Valley’s Gollihue blocked Logan’s Scotty Browning’s layup attempt but was whistled for a personal foul. Gollihue turned and had words to say to Browning following the block.
Before the ball could be whistled for play, Canterbury and Logan’s Williamson exchanged words as another Tug Valley player stood between them. No punches were thrown, however, Parker Davis of Tug Valley, who was standing in the far right frontcourt charged into the lane shoving Logan’s Blankenship in an attempt to get to Williamson.
The altercation spilled toward midcourt as game officials, Tug Valley school administration, local law enforcement as well as coaches from both schools intervened in an attempt to restore order. During the altercation, two Tug Valley students came onto the court and were immediately removed from the gym by game officials.
The action didn’t stop there as fans from both schools exchanged words and unpleasantries with one another leading to ejections and an altercation near the Logan section between a female Logan fan and a male individual, later identified as Mingo County Sheriff Joe Smith, made his way toward the individual.
Smith, who was off duty at the time, was helping officials, coaches and school administration restore order on the court.
No punches were thrown, no players were ejected, but a technical was assessed to Tug Valley for the student’s entrance onto the court during the altercation.
Once player resumed some 20 minutes later, Browning shot two free throws as a result of the personal foul, Davis and Williamson were each assessed technical fouls and Logan was awarded possession of the ball as the Wildcats made 5 of 8 from the line in the final 0:31 to sweep the season series from Tug Valley.
Logan defeated Tug Valley, 84-75, on Dec. 13 at Logan. In that game, which featured three technical fouls, the Wildcats erased a nine-point third quarter deficit.
Tug Valley will return home for its next two scheduled games. The Panthers host Sherman on Tuesday and Van on Friday before travelling to rival Man on Saturday.
Logan hosts Cardinal Conference rival and Class AA No. 7 Poca on Tuesday before closing out the week on Friday at county rival and AA No. 4 Chapmanville on Friday.
Logan 65, Tug Valley 58
Logan (6-5)
Clancy 2-9 5-5 9, Browning, S. 9-21 5-8 26, Blankenship 4-5 2-3 11, Glick 1-4 0-0 2, Browning, D. 0-1 0-0 0, Williamson 2-4 3-4 8, Ilderton 2-6 1-3 5, Miller 2-2 0-0 4, Berry 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-52 16-23 65.
Tug Valley (4-3)
Ferris 2-9 0-0 5, Elia 0-0 0-0 0, Gollihue 4-12 2-3 13, Wagner 2-2 0-0 4, Preece 0-0 0-0 0, Marcum 5-8 1-4 11, Davis, A. 3-4 1-2 8, Davis, P. 6-13 3-5 17. Totals: 22-48 7-14 58.
Logan 7 20 14 24- 65
Tug Valley 21 16 11 10-58
3-Point Field Goals_Logan 5-8 (Browning, S. 3-4, Blankenship 1-1, Glick 0-1, Browning, D. 0-1, Williamson 1-1), Tug Valley 7-19 (Ferris 1-3, Gollihue 3-7, Davis, A. 1-2, Davis, P. 2-7). Fouled Out_Ferris. Rebounds_Logan 24 (Clancy 8), Tug Valley 24 (Marcum 7). Assists_Logan 5 (Williamson 2), Tug Valley 12 (Ferris 4). Total fouls_Logan 14, Tug Valley 14. Technicals_Tug Valley.