PHOTO | Boothe Davis : Captured by the Moment Photography
Going into Friday night’s contest with county rival Chapmanville, Logan coach Zach Green knew the Tigers wanted to dictate the pace of the game.
For one quarter the style of play favored Chapmanville as they were able to jump out to an early 10-point lead, but the Class AAA No. 3 Wildcats settled down to defeat the Class AA No. 7 Tigers 56-48 Friday night at Danny Godby Gymnasium.
Leading 13-3 following three 3-pointers from Brody Dalton, Green called a timeout to settle his team down. The Wildcats responded out of the timeout with five points, but Dalton knocked down his fourth and fifth 3’s to give the Tigers a 19-12 advantage after the first quarter of play.
“They came on out fire and he (Dalton) hit five 3’s which put us in a tough spot,” Green said. “We knew they wanted to play a slower pace and they got out to that lead which allowed them to control the pace.”
Logan got a pair of free throws from Jaxon Cogar near the end of the first quarter and then scored 12 unanswered to start the second quarter.
The end result was a 14-0 run over 5:30 that gave Logan a 24-19 lead.
Dalton ended the run with a seven-foot jumper with 2:22, but it would be the only points of the quarter for Chapmanville, who was outscored 12-2 by the Wildcats and trailed 24-21 at halftime.
The two schools traded baskets in the third quarter as the lead changed hands four times and was tied three times before Jackson Tackett gave Logan a 32-31 lead with 3:24 to play.
It would be the final lead change of the evening, as Logan held onto a slim 36-35 lead after three quarters of play.
“I thought our guys were resilient in the second quarter when we were able to hold them to two points,” Green said. “I thought that changed the outcome of the game and we responded really well in the second and third quarters.”
Chapmanville had three opportunities to either tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter, but for every basket the Tigers had the Wildcats had an answer on the other end.
“From both ends, I thought it was a great game,” Chapmanville coach Brad Napier said. “It was a game of runs and they just had a run at the end of the game when they needed one.”
The last run Napier is alluding to occurred with Chapmanville down 42-41 following a Devin Workman basket with 3:58 to play.
On its ensuing offensive possession, Logan’s Jackson Tackett got free and knocked down a 3 to give the Wildcats a 45-41 lead.
Chapmanville missed shots on their next two possessions and turned it over on its third trip down the floor as Garrett Williamson split a pair of free throws and Tackett hit a layup to give Logan a 48-41 lead with 1:12 to play.
“I thought our defense was good, I thought Logan made plays at the right time and we had some crucial turnovers,” Napier said. “When that happens early in the game it not as important, but it’s not the same when you turn it over under the two-minute mark and turn it over in a two- or three-point game.”
Tackett finished with 21 points to lead Logan in scoring. He had 17 points in the second half, knocked down two 3’s and was Logan’s answer for every answer that Chapmanville had.
“He was unbelievable in the second half and every time we needed a bucket he went and got one for us,” Green said. “He has been tough to guard, and he showed some versatility when he stepped out and hit those 3’s.”
Dalton led Chapmanville with a game-high 21 points including six 3-pointers. Dalton scored 17 of Chapmanville’s 21 first half points.
“When a guy is hot like that you got to keep feeding him,” Napier said. “I thought our guys did a great job of feeding him and getting him in spots that he could hit.”
Dalton had the lone basket in the second quarter for the Tigers, who struggled to find a second scorer in the first half. Zion Blevins, the team’s leading scorer coming into Friday, finished with 12 points but was hit with foul trouble early and had to sit for much of the second quarter.
“Zion getting in foul trouble really hurt us tonight,” Napier said. “He didn’t play a whole lot tonight; he didn’t play a lot in the second quarter and that was a big reason we struggled in the second quarter.”
Logan outrebounded Chapmanville 26-19 but was held to just five offensive rebounds and only four second chance points.
“They did a good job of limiting our second chance points,” Green said. “They are big, physical and rebound very well and it was a challenge for us tonight.”
The Wildcats turned the ball over 11 times to just seven for the Tigers.
“I think we could have stretched the lead out a little bit more if we hadn’t had some uncharacteristic turnovers,” Green said. “Typically we do a good job of closing out games by taking care of the basketball, but we had some bad turnovers that led to easy baskets on the other end for them.”
Williamson had 11 points and Cogar 10 points for Logan, who also got eight points from Aiden Slack and only four points from Scotty Browning.
Browning was just 2-of-7 from the field shooting the ball but added five assists and four rebounds for the Wildcats.
“He struggled offensively,” Green said. “We tell them all the time if they are not making shots that they can still contribute, they can still find ways to contribute and help us win.”
Chapmanville (9-8) will host Class AAA No. 6 Winfield on Saturday.
“Don’t get any easier for us and Winfield is just as good as anyone in the state,” Napier said. “They are big, they are athletic, the shoot it well, they are coached extremely well, and it will be a battle for sure.”
Logan (15-1) will host Lincoln County Tuesday night.
“Coach Plumley does an excellent job with them,” Green said. “I am sure they will be up to the challenge to play us just like everyone has been.”
Logan 56, Chapmanville 48
Logan (15-1)
Jackson Tackett 7-9 5-7 21, Garrett Williamson 4-7 3-5 11, Jaxon Cogar 4-6 2-2 10, Aiden Slack 1-2 5-6 8, Scotty Browning 2-7 0-0 4, Julius Clancy 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 19-33 15-20 56.
Chapmanville (9-8)
Brody Dalton 8-17 3-4 25, Zion Blevins 3-9 5-6 12, Colton Craddock 4-9 1-4 9, Devin Workman 1-6 0-0 2, Isaiah Smith 0-3 0-0 0, Isaac Butcher 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 16-45 9-14 48.
Logan 12 12 12 20- 56
Chapmanville 19 2 14 13- 48
3-point field goals- Logan 3-10 (Tackett 2-3, Williamson 0-2, Slack 1-2, Browning 0-2), Chapmanville 7-17 (Dalton 6-12, Blevins 1-3, Workman 0-1, Smith 0-1). Rebounds- Logan 26 (Cogar 9), Chapmanville 19 (Craddock 5, Dalton 5). Assists- Logan 12 (Browning 5), Chapmanville 8 (Blevins 2, Craddock 2, Smith 2, Workman 2). Total fouls- Logan 11, Chapmanville 14. Fouled out- None. Technicals-None.