MORGANTOWN – Plenty of historic milestones have been crossed off the list for the Morgantown High School boys basketball program in recent years.
The Mohigans and head coach Dave Tallman checked off another box on that list on Saturday, as their 67-38 victory over Washington High School on day two of the Little General Holiday Classic was the 50th-straight win on their home floor.
MHS (4-0) defeated the Patriots 67-38 behind 20 points from senior Demarcus Bandy, who also added three rebounds and three assists.
“This is a special one for sure,” Tallman said. “So many great players, coaches, and people have contributed to these wins over the years. Shoutout to my buddy Bill Bennett (Robert C. Byrd), the last coach to get us here during the COVID years (2020-2021). We’ve played some really good teams throughout that time as well. It speaks volumes about our program and the people who support us and our players daily. It takes everyone to be successful.”
The Mohigans led by one possession after the opening quarter, 12-10, before using a 28-9 advantage in the second that put them ahead by 21 at halftime.
“We came out a little flat in the first quarter, and I had to do something to get us fired up,” Tallman said after receiving a technical foul early in the contest. “We aren’t playing that great offensively early this season, but I think we’ve made up for that with our defensive effort. Guys are flying around, playing help defense, and getting in passing lanes. These guys have each other’s backs, and that’s good to see.”
Leading by two points after the first quarter, the Mohigans began the second energized by their head coach and used a quick 7-0 run to extend the lead to 19-10.
The run swelled to 12-4 midway through the frame as Washington (2-1) struggled to find open shots. MHS scored ten field goals in the second quarter, the same number of shots the Patriots attempted in the stanza.
“Coach Miller is doing a great job with that program compared to where it was a couple of years ago,” Tallman said. “They play the game correctly and look the part; today was a good test for us. We have all the respect in the world for that team, and I’m proud of the effort from our team against that group.”
MHS led 40-19 at the halftime break and 58-29 after the third quarter. Bandy and MHS senior Brady Savage controlled the game inside the entire contest. Savage finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Sophomore Colin Ridgeway added seven points from the bench.
Bandy is enjoying a return to the hardwood after missing his junior season due to a knee injury he sustained in a preseason scrimmage last season and is making a productive impact on the team.
To go along with being away from the game for so long, he is also playing his first season at Morgantown after joining the team from University High School this summer.
“I sat out the entire season last year, and I was just hungry to get back out there and play again,” Bandy said. “I never stopped working during the offseason to get healthy and back in shape to get my game back to where I knew it could be. Getting to work with the team over the summer helped us all, and it feels like I’ve been a part of the team longer than just these first few games. I love playing with these guys.”
The Mohigans improved to 4-0 with the victory and will travel to North Allegheny next Saturday to battle Bishop Guilfoyle (Pa.) for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.
BOX SCORE
Morgantown 67, Washington 38
WHS 10 9 10 9 – 38
MHS – 12 28 18 9 – 67
Washington (2-1) – Doleman 2 4-4 9 King 3 2-2 9 Boardley 3 1-2 7 Welti 1 0-2 2 Brown 1 0-0 3 Thompson 1 0-0 2 Hairston 1 1-1 4 Machado 1 0-0 3
Morgantown (4-0) – Bandy 8 3-3 20 Savage 6 1-4 13 Colistra 5 0-0 10 Johnson 3 0-0 8 Frey 2 2-2 7 Ridgeway 3 0-0 7 Kellogg 0 2-2 2
3pt goals made: Washington 4 (Doleman 1 King 1 Machado 1 Brown 1); Morgantown 5 (Johnson 2 Bandy 1 Frey 1 Ridgeway 1)
