West Branch’s Jeremiah Thomas drives against Beaver Local’s Aiden Dray during the Warriors’ victory Tuesday. (Morning Journal/Michael Burich)
CALCUTTA — Having lost six out of its last seven games, West Branch’s boys basketball team was in need of a win against a quality opponent.
Using a clutch performance down the stretch on Tuesday, the Warriors got that as they downed Beaver Local 58-55.
“We needed something like this,” West Branch coach Scott Loudon said. “We got one against Salem on Friday and then we turned around and lost to Louisville the next night. Getting back on the winning track as we have three league games in a row, we had to make sure we were doing something right.”
West Branch moved to 5-8, while the Beavers saw a five-game winning streak snapped as they fell to 8-3.
In a back-and-forth affair, West Branch’s Jeremiah Thomas sank a jumper in the lane with 41 seconds left to give the Warriors a 55-54 lead. Camden Lane, who led the Warriors with 17 points, split two free throws to extend the lead to 56-54 with 19.5 seconds left. Beaver Local furiously tried to get in position to get a go-ahead or game-tying shot off but had to settle for a pair of free throw attempts by Luke Rettos with 5.2 seconds left. Rettos split the pair and Thomas grabbed the rebound only to be fouled on his way down the court. Thomas hit both free throws to extend the Warrior lead to three. The Beavers had one last chance in a Hunter Warrick three but he did not convert.
“It’s tough to lose a game like that in our own building,” Beaver Local coach Nick Miller said. “We’re learning though. We’re fairly young and only have two seniors. We got a couple sophomores and four juniors that are playing big time minutes. Sometimes you have to lose a game like this to win a few more down the road.”
Beaver Local junior Owen Hill set the tone for the game as he showed off his post skills with 22 points. The Warrior trio of Cooper Anderson, Landon Coffee and Zach Coffee was assigned to Hill and at times was able to challenge Beaver’s rising star. Anderson had eight points and nine rebounds, while Zach Coffee had seven points and five rebounds. Landon Coffee had four points and a rebound.
It was especially important those Warriors post players were able to put in the work as 6-foot, 7-inch junior Gavin Gregory has missed the last several games with a leg injury. Loudon said Gregory shoots over 70 percent from the field and averages 14 points and nine rebounds a game.
“It’s his lower leg,” Loudon said. “We thought it was an Achilles at first, but it’s related but it’s not that. I’m not sure what it’s called as I’m not a doctor, but we’re hoping he’s back in shape and ready to go as we get into the tournament.”
Beaver Local had the hot hand early as it led 12-4 out of the gate. West Branch battled back to tie it at 19 with 3:32 left in the second quarter though. A late offensive spurt in the second quarter by Warrick let the Beavers go into the lockers up 26-22. Warrick ended up being Beaver’s second leading scorer with 14 points and also hit a three to start the third quarter to give his team a seven-point advantage.
West Branch, however, using its athleticism at the guard positions in Thomas and Joey Jackson was able to snatch the momentum and head into the fourth up 40-36.
“I told our assistant coach in the locker room that that was just young men stepping up and making big boy plays,” Loudon said. “That’s what Thomas did. He made a couple huge shots and obviously those free throws at the end were huge. Jackson was actually the one that suggested the press that got us the lead.”
Thomas closed the game with 11 points and four rebounds. Jackson added five points and four rebounds.
Loudon credited Lane with creating shots in his own special way.
“If you watch him you wouldn’t say he’s your stereotypical basketball player,” Loudon said. “But he finds a way to make plays and a lot of times they are at big points in the game.”
Miller said it was important to play games against teams like West Branch because it will benefit his young team down the road.
“It’s a good measuring stick, but it also shows us where we need to improve to beat a team like that,” Miller said.
West Branch won the jayvee game, 54-50. Chase Gee had 17 points for the winners, while Nolan Irving and Landon Wheatley had 13 points each for the Beavers.
West Branch is at Minerva on Friday, while Beaver Local hosts Oak Glen on Friday.
WB: 8-14-18-18–58
BL: 14-12-10-19–55
WEST BRANCH SCORING: Joey Jackson 2-1-5, Jeremiah Thomas 3-5-11, Grady Hirst 0-0-0, Cooper Anderson 4-0-8, Zach Coffee 3-0-7, Kasen Weaver 3-0-6, Landon Coffee 2-0-4, Camden Lane 6-4-17. TEAM TOTALS: 26, 10-14: 58.
BEAVER LOCAL SCORING: Nick McKenzie 0-0-0, Hunter Warrick 5-2-14, Aiden Dray 0-0-0, Tucker McElroy 1-0-2, Taylor Johnston 1-0-2, Owen Hill 8-5-22, Matt Anderson 4-0-8, Luke Rettos 2-2-7. TEAM TOTALS: 20, 9-14: 55.
Three-point goals: West Branch 1 (Lane), Beaver 4 (Warrick 2, Hill, Rettos).
