MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Class AAA No. 1 University High started out hot and never looked back, hitting a barrage of triples that made the heads on the Hawks’ bench spin while making the Class AAA No. 5 Wheeling Park Patriots shake their heads in disapproval.
All it took was six possessions for Kaden Metheny to surpass former UHS star point guard Jedd Gyorko’s all-time 3-point scoring record. He hit another trey to give the Hawks six points in the first three minutes, putting the Hawks up 10-2 to force the Patriots to call their first timeout. From there, it was easy sailing as UHS floated to a 108-69 win.
“I knew they were ready to play. I gave them the weekend off and a day off last week. They wanted to come to the gym this weekend and I wouldn’t let them, and I think this is the first time all year that we’re truly healthy,” UHS coach Joe Schmidle said. “I was really pleased with our effort on both sides of the ball in the first half. Putting 108 points up against a Wheeling Park team that’s one of the best in the state of West Virginia [isn’t easy].
“We’ve got eight kids playing at a high level, and with our rotation it’s hard for me to get playing time for all these guys deserving of it. We have eight or nine guys that are playing well together and practices have been very competitive, which is making everyone better.”
By the end of the first quarter, University (15-3) held a 32-14 lead — 21 of those points coming off seven 3-pointers.
That didn’t stop, as the Hawks hit three more treys in the second quarter to close the first-half total at 10 and padding their lead at 54-22.
The third quarter saw K.J. McClurg and Blake Barkley take over scoring duties, combining for 12 of UHS’s 21 points. Wheeling Park began to take advantage of the relaxed Hawks’ defense to put up 20 points, 10 of which came from Alex Vargo. Even a 27-point push in the final stanza couldn’t bring the Patriots within striking distance, albeit with that slowed down UHS defense, as the Hawks maintained their clutch shooting netting 33 points.
“I wasn’t real pleased with our defense in the second half,” Schmidle said. “All in all we’re happy to be playing on Saturday against Morgantown. We know we’re going to have our hands full.
“I told them if they won tonight’s game I’d give them [Wednesday] off and get them 150 wings to watch the WVU-Kansas game, so it may have been pretty good motivation.”
Five Hawks were in double digits. Metheny led the team with 29 points thanks to 11 buckets, six of which were treys. He was also just shy of a double-double with a team-high seven assists. McClurg added 24 points while Mike Maumbe (11), John Ross Mazza (10) and Aaron Forbes (10) combined for 31.
In total, UHS went 15 of 27 (55%) from beyond the arc while shooting 67.7% (42 of 62) from the floor. The Hawks also hit 9 of 13 from the charity stripe to cross the century mark.
“I just wanted my kids to play,” Schmidle said when asked by reporters if he wanted to send a message keeping his starters in even with a monstrous lead. “As long as they leave their starters in, I’ll leave mine in. I’m not going to tell my kids not to play hard, we weren’t pressing them or anything.”
The Patriots (12-5) were paced by Vargo with 31 points. He was the only player to reach double digits. He hit nine shots from the field and went 11 of 13 from the free throw line.
God, Gyorko and Metheny
With his first triple of the night, Metheny entered a ranks of UHS greats by passing current Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Gyorko in the all-time 3-point scoring list. Gyorko’s record has been intact since he graduated in 2007 — a year he averaged 18.2 points per game.
“I knew he was getting close a couple weeks ago, so I went back and added it all up,” Schmidle said. “He tied it up at Wheeling Park [last Tuesday]. I had a feeling unless something crazy happened he’d make at least one today, and he made six in the first half. Great performance by Kaden. It was a good night for University High basketball.”
Metheny comes up in many conversations since the senior is almost synonymous with basketball around the Morgantown area, and Schmidle knows his senior is going far. For now, he’s Schmidle’s Jack of all trades.
“He’s a competitor, plays great defense and keeps everyone involved. He’s really done a great job this year,” Schmidle said. “He’s determined — all the kids are. We’re doing everything we can and taking it one game at a time to hopefully get back to Charleston and defend our title.”
Metheny is equally as excited about his accomplishment, thanking God for blessing him and Gyorko for being a role model.
“It’s amazing [breaking the record],” Metheny said. “I never imagined I’d be able to do that. I always looked up to Jedd. I have to give all the glory to God, he’s been with me throughout this entire process and I’m thankful.”
Up next
With the win, the Hawks move on to face rival and Class AAA No. 2 Morgantown (15-2) in the OVAC finals Saturday at Ohio University Eastern in St. Clairsville, Ohio.
