Webster County's dynamic duo of seniors Brett Morris and Hunter Given combined for 49 points to lead the Highlanders to a 67 to 60 win over the Grafton Bearcats in an opening round game of the BB&T Holiday Tournament in Clarksburg Thursday evening.
Morris led his team in scoring with 29 points, despite sitting out most of the third quarter after he was incorrectly attributed his fourth foul of the game. The official scorer from Grafton listed Morris with 4 fouls when in reality Morris was attributed a foul actually made by teammate Given. While Morris sat on the bench in the third quarter, Given took over with basket after basket ending the game with 20 points.
Grafton owned the first quarter, holding a 6 point lead with just seconds remaining when Morris poured in a 3 point shot as the buzzer expired, and Grafton led 14 to 11. In the second quarter, Grafton raced out to an early 22 to 11 lead before the Highlanders climbed back to pull within 2 to trail at halftime 32 to 30. That 11 point deficit was the largest deficit the Highlanders have faced in their four games this season.
Before Morris got into foul trouble in the third quarter, senior Lance Stout made a short pass to a leaping Morris for a slam dunk which sparked the Highlander offense. After Morris was benched for foul trouble, Given then scored 11 of his 20 points in the third quarter. Webster led 49 to 46 at the end of the third quarter.
It appeared that the Highlanders might run away with the game when they opened up an 8 point lead at 58 to 50, but the Bearcats clawed back to within 2 at 58 to 56 with 5:18 remaining in the game. The teams traded baskets for the next three minutes and Webster clung to a 2 point lead at 62 to 60 with 1:58 remaining.
With less than a minute remaining, and after Given made one of two foul shots giving Webster a 63 to 60 lead, Grafton blew two chances to tie the game at 63. Morris then tipped in an errant shot by junior Logan Taylor for a 65 to 60 Webster lead with 14 seconds remaining. Morris added a couple foul shots for the final 67 to 60 margin of victory.
Team statistics: Morris, 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocked shots, 1 assist; Given, 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal; Lance Stout, 6 points, 3 assists, 1 steal; Hunter Williams, 5 points, 1 rebound; Tyler Anderson, 3 points, 1 rebound; Dalton Davis, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal; Stephen Cogar, 2 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals; Guy Cowger, 2 rebounds, 1 steal; Logan Taylor, 3 rebounds, 1 steal. As a team, the Highlanders made 20 of 47 shots, including 7 of 23 from 3 point range, for a combined 42% shooting percentage. While they started slow in the first half at the free throw line, Webster made 20 of 34 free throws (or 58%).
Team statistics: Morris, 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocked shots, 1 assist; Given, 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal; Lance Stout, 6 points, 3 assists, 1 steal; Hunter Williams, 5 points, 1 rebound; Tyler Anderson, 3 points, 1 rebound; Dalton Davis, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal; Stephen Cogar, 2 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals; Guy Cowger, 2 rebounds, 1 steal; Logan Taylor, 3 rebounds, 1 steal. As a team, the Highlanders made 20 of 47 shots, including 7 of 23 from 3 point range, for a combined 42% shooting percentage. While they started slow in the first half at the free throw line, Webster made 20 of 34 free throws (or 58%).
With the win, Webster improved to 4 wins, 0 losses on the season. They next play in the Holiday Tournament Championship game Friday, December 28, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. against the host school Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The Lady Highlanders also won their opening round game against the Liberty-Harrison Mountaineers by a score of 66 to 44 and they will play in the ladies Tournament Championship game Friday at Notre Dame at 4:00 p.m.
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