University guard #0, K.J. McClurg plays aggressively against Wheeling Park at University High School on Tuesday. 
Wheeling Park’s #12, Alex Vargo moves to the hoop at University High School on Tuesday. 
Wheeling Park’s #3, Shaheed Jackson loses the ball to University at University High School on Tuesday. 
at University High School on Tuesday. 
at University High School on Tuesday. 
University’s #11, Ryan Niceler keeps eyes on the hoop and shoots against Wheeling Park at University High School on Tuesday. 
University guard #0, K.J. McClurg plays aggressively against Wheeling Park at University High School on Tuesday. 
University’s #2, Kyle Smith plays smart to score for his team against Wheeling Park at University High School on Tuesday. 
University’s #2, Kyle Smith plays smart to score for his team against Wheeling Park at University High School on Tuesday. 
University’s #23, John Mazza goes for the hoop against Wheeling Park at University High School on Tuesday. 
University’s point guard #3 Kaden Metheny makes all attempts to score for a close win against Wheeling Park at University High School on Tuesday.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Wheeling Park visited University for an early season regional showdown Wednesday night, and one fact held true: One team’s perfect streak would come to an end.
Luckily for the Hawks, it wasn’t them, as the Hawks edged the Patriots 72-67. But with the absence of the typical postgame rah-rah, someone who didn’t pay attention would think the Hawks had lost.
“I’m not happy,” UHS coach Joe Schmidle said. “We’re going to find some people who want to play hard [in the next game].
“We aren’t as good as we think we are — let me put it that way.”
The Hawks (3-0) and Patriots (2-1) opened up slow — uncharacteristic for the two offensive forces. After WP picked up a 4-0 lead, Kaden Metheny put in the first points for UHS with 5:27 left in the first quarter. As for the rest of quarter, not much can be said other than each team had glaring issues they needed to compensate for: The Hawks weren’t rebounding and were letting Park pick their pockets, while Park wasn’t holding up to a blistering UHS defense. The best highlight came under the one-minute mark, however, as Metheny tossed an alley oop to fellow guard K.J. McClurg to put the Hawks up 14-12.
The second period was much better for the Hawks, who strung together two runs between field goals by Park — a 6-0 and 7-0 charge — to push the lead to 30-18. It helped that the Patriots’ defense gave them five free points, but in the closing minutes D.J. Saunders and Beau Heller netted two treys to cut the deficit to eight. That Hawks’ lead was sustained heading into halftime.
After the break, Park kept a strong force under the basket to heavily out-rebound UHS. Those boards would’ve made a difference if it weren’t for a sloppy Patriots’ defense that gave the Hawks multiple attempts at the line — the linch pin in the final quarter when Park was down by only two points.
The true hero for Wheeling Park was Saunders, netting five 3-pointers on the night — four of which came in the second half — to chip away at that sustained Hawks’ lead. In total, he was second on the team in scoring with 24 points after coming into Wednesday night’s game off an 18-point performance over Meadowbrook.
University, on the other hand, had a rough go from beyond the arc, knocking down just 25% (2 of 8) of their 3-point attempts, while Wheeling Park shot 66% (8 of 12).
But in the end, McClurg came out strong at the line to knock down his final four free throws — capping a perfect 7 of 7 performance — to clear the 4-point lead and seal the game. It was free throws that saved the Hawks, and they know that.
“I think we underestimated Wheeling Park,” Schmidle said. “We weren’t ready to play, that’s the bottom line,” Schmidle said. “Toward the end, I think my kids responded in crunch time to do some good things. They regained focus in desperation time to play with a little more intensity, but we didn’t play with intensity throughout the first 28-29 minutes — there’s no excuse for that, and it’s on me.
“We work on free throws every day, but K.J. and Kaden are 80% free throw shooters for life. We know close games are won or lost at the foul line, so [to shoot] 19 of 22 from the line, at least we did that well. Honestly, [Wheeling Park] got some scoring tonight that we weren’t anticipating. Saunders and Alex Vargo, who averages 28 a game, to only have two 3s, we were fortunate there. K.J. did a good job limiting his 3-point shots.”
Vargo led the Patriots with 25 points, while Xavier Morris added 11. Hot shooter Travis Zimmerman only had three points in the match from one field goal and two free throws.
McClurg and Metheny led the Hawks with 24 and 23 points, respectively. Ryan Niceler was the only other Hawk in double digits with 14 points.
University returns to action on Friday at the G Force Lock and Safe Holiday Classic at Morgantown High School. They face Woodrow Wilson at 6 p.m. before picking up again on Saturday with a 4:15 p.m. game against Hurricane.
