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Big Shots Country Roads Tip Off: Game Recaps

By Big Shots Nation, 12/17/19, 10:15AM EST

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Here's a look at the game recaps from the inaugural Country Roads Tip Off.

Day 1

Morgantown vs. Notre Dame

The Morgantown Mohicans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish kicked off the 2019 Big Shots Country Roads Tip Off and the Mohicans hit the ground running from the start in the first game on Friday night.  2021 guard Xavier Pryor got off to a quick start on both ends to spark an early 11-0 run for the Mohicans. The Fighting Irish would respond with a 7-0 run of their own after that led by 2021 forward Elijah Goodman and 2022 forward Wade Britton. After one quarter, things were close with Morgantown leading 22-15 and it looked like Notre Dame would play them tough.

However, the second quarter came around and Morgantown kept coming, going on a 23-9 run to end the first half led once again by the play of Pryor and 2020 guard Mac McMillen. Pryor put up eight points in the second quarter as the Mohicans led 45-24 at halftime.

In the second half, Morgantown put together a strong offensive quarter once again, putting up 32 points and making three 3-pointers as a team in the third. The Mohicans led 77-33 after three quarters of play.

Morgantown didn't let things get too close in the fourth quarter as they got a 96-44 victory in the end. Pryor finished the game with 16 points and Player of the Game honors. McMillen finished with 14 points and two made 3-pointers. 2020 guard Alex Rudy also finished with 12 points.

Notre Dame was led by Goodman's 15 points. 2022 point guard Jaidyn West finished with 12 points as well.

University vs. Greater Beckley Christian

In the final game of Day 1 of the Big Shots Country Roads Tip Off, the University High School Hawks faced off against the Greater Beckley Crusaders. Both teams got off to fast starts in the opening quarter and by the end of one, the Hawks led 41-22, coming out firing on all cylinders. 2020 backcourt duo Kaden Metheny and K.J. McClurg put up 11 points and 10 points, respectively, to open up an early lead in the opening frame. Bowling Green commit Kaden Metheny put on quite the show with his future head coach Michael Huger in attendance.

In the second quarter, things slowed down from a volume standpoint, but the Hawks kept extending their lead as they outscored the Crusaders 14-3 in the second quarter to build a 55-25 lead at halftime. At the half, Metheny had 21 points along with five 3-pointers and McClurg had 15 points. 2020 guard J.R. Mazza also had three 3-pointers for nine points off the bench. 

The Hawks came out in the second half and continued to control the pace although Greater Beckley put up a much bigger fight. In the second half, University led 73-32 after three quarters with Metheny posting 29 points. He didn't play at all in the fourth quarter. The Hawks walked away with a 93-63 victory for the first win of the 2019-20 season and it was quite a way to start at home with Metheny taking home Player of the Game honors. McClurg finished with 18 points, 2021 wing Ryan Niceler finished with 12 points, including a big dunk in the second quarter.

Greater Beckley Christian was led in scoring by 2020 guard Elijah Edwards who finished with 31 points on seven made 3-pointers. 

Day 2

Life Christian Academy vs. Greater Beckley Christian

The Greater Beckley Christian Crusaders returned in Day 2 of the Big Shots Country Roads Tip Off against the Life Christian Academy Eagles. The Eagles had a backcourt duo of their own to worry about in 2020s Ikechi Chantilou and Kenard Richardson, but their frontcourt of 2021 forward Will Henderson and 2020 Logan Washington also played a hand in this one.

The Eagles jumped out to an early lead and led 17-8 after one quarter thanks to the aggressive play of Chantilou, who scored eight points of his own. Michael Kennedy closed out the quarter with a 3-pointer to extend the lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Life Christian kept on clicking on offense thanks to Richardson and Rodney Roane, who also put up four points. Life Christian led the ways 34-16 at halftime thanks to strong play from Chantilou and seven points from Richardson. 

The second half saw bigger production from Henderson and Washington, as both got going in the third quarter to continue to extend the lead for the Eagles. Henderson put up seven points (3-of-4 from the free-throw line) while Washington scored seven points as well with one made free-throw.

By the end of it all, Washington took home Player of the Game honors with 16 points, showing off his ability to attack the rim and stretch the floor with his outside shot. Life Christian won the game 64-43 over Greater Beckley Christian.

Spring Valley vs. Morgantown

In game 2, the Spring Valley Timberwolves faced another return team in the Morgantown Mohicans. The Mohicans continued their strong start with Pryor and 2021 forward Carson Poffenberger leading the way in this one.  Spring Valley opened the game hot, scoring 19 points to lead Morgantown 19-17 after one quarter. 2021 forward C.J. Meredith had two made 3-pointers and seven points.

Things continued to click for Morgantown in the second quarter as Poffenberger's seven points and 2020 guard Mac McMillen's two made 3-pointers sparked a 27-6 run to jump out to a 44-25 lead at halftime. 

Both teams kept pace of each other in the second half, but Spring Valley was never able to recover from the run Morgantown went on in the second quarter. 

Morgantown took home an 82-60 victory in the end. Poffenberger took home Player of the Game with his activity on the glass and in the paint. He finished with 17 points and a made 3-pointer. Pryor finished with 11 points as well. Meredith led the way for Spring Valley with 25 points on five made 3-pointers.

Life Christian Academy vs. Beckley Prep IJN

Life Christian Academy returned for another challenging game in the third one on the slate, facing off against Beckley Prep IJN. The Eagles got a big performance from their backcourt duo of Kenard Richardson and Ikechi Chantilou but the all-around play of IJN was too much for them in the end.

IJN got a quick 11 points off the bench from 2020 high-flying forward Robertas Jonaitis who scored in the mid-range and on the break with ease. Despite his strong play on offense, IJN trailed Life Christian 17-16 after one quarter. Richardson did well to control the pace and put up six points.

In the second quarter, things went the way of IJN behind the play of 2021 guard Dominykas Ramonas and 2023 forward Daniel Ntambwe. Ramonas drained three 3-pointers and Ntambwe put up eight points as an active force on the glass as IJN jumped out to a 36-33 lead at the half.

Both teams traded blows in the third quarter as Richardson put up another eight points and Chantilou put up six points. After three, things remained closed at 53-48, but IJN held onto the lead. 

2020 point guard Curtis Houston controlled the pace well in the fourth quarter and thanks to a big alley-oop from 2023 forward Debaba Tshiebwe, IJN found a way to victory, 75-68. Jonaitis, Ntambwe and Ramonas all finished with 17 points each in the victory.

Chantilou led the way for Life Christian with 21 points. Richardson posted 20 points.

Poca vs. University

In the final game of Day 2 of the Big Shots Country Roads Tip Off, two top teams in the West Virginia ranks faced off in University High and Poca High School. 2020 guard Kaden Metheny picked up where he left off on Friday night with another big first quarter, scoring nine points in a 21-point team effort. 2021 guard Ryan Niceler had a strong performance as well with eight points. The home crowd did well to energize them as their opponent couldn't seem to get going early. After one, University led 21-6.

In the second quarter, Poca found their offense but they managed to just keep pace with University. Both teams put up 18 points in the quarter and at the half, University held onto a 39-24 lead. 

Poca hung around late in the game and got within 13 points but University made shots when they needed to, especially in the fourth quarter. They closed out the game to take home a 74-49 victory. Metheny took home Player of the Game honors once again with 25 points. K.J. McClurg finished with 18 points (16 in the fourth quarter). 

Top 2022 prospect Isaac McKneely finished with 20 points for Poca.