MORGANTOWN — Sophomore Jaheim Felton and junior Alex Rudy may be the backcourt combo Morgantown has been searching for.
With senior Cam Selders sidelined for a concussion, Felton seamlessly stepped into the line-up at point guard as Morgantown hosted Brooke on Tuesday night.
The switch allowed Rudy to slide into the two-guard spot after leading the team at point-guard for most of the season. The transition opened Rudy up on the scoring end, as he tallied 14 points to lead the Mohigans to a 105-39 beatdown of the Bruins.
“Jaheim playing the point makes it way easier to shoot. He finds the open man,” Rudy said. “I feel like I provide more for the team when I’m shooting rather than passing.”
The duo also combined for six assists and five steals, sparking an offensive effort that saw all 15 Mohigans score, including four tallying double digits. As a team, they converted 36 shots from the field, including 13 three-point baskets.
“It was refreshing seeing the ball go in the basket. I think our guys are tired of losing and are tired of underachieving,” coach Dave Tallman said. “They’ve put the work in this week — there’s no secret to how you learn to make shots; you go and put the work in. They’ve done that this week.”
MHS snapped a three-game losing streak with the win.
The game marked the introduction of new faces, both to the varsity roster and the starting lineup, and Tallman would frequently sub large groups in and out of the game, keeping fresh bodies on the floor.
Tallman credits the extended use of his bench for prompting an increase in energy and competitiveness throughout the team.
“We hadn’t changed our starting lineup at all this year, and I think some guys were getting comfortable in their roles,” Tallman said.
“It’s nice to see some of these young guys pushing them. In the big scheme of things, the young guys are coming in here and sparking this team.”
Rudy said the personnel changes helped the team gel as a more cohesive and confident unit on the floor.
“I just felt like we played like a team. We passed the ball more and got open shots,” Rudy said.
“We were ready to shoot tonight; we’ve been holding back a little. I feel like everyone coming off the bench makes everyone want to play better and play as a team.”
Mac McMillen (12), Garrett Haines (11) and Nick Malone (10) joined Rudy with double-digit scoring, while Lamar Haskins paced the Mohigans with seven rebounds. Felton led the team with four assists.
