By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
As the smell of chicken permeated the air, the Mountain Lions caught a whiff entering Moorefield causing extreme hunger and began gnawing on a small appetizer in the opening period before figuring out the Yellow Jackets defense to step up to the main course and devoured the Hive with a 61-33 win.
Tucker County’s Cayden Arnold scored a game-high 17 points, followed by Ethan Cummings with 12 points and Sam Marks with 11 markers.
The Yellow Jackets were paced by Cyrus Kump with 10 points, followed by Shawn Reed with 7 points and Matthew Iman with 6 points.
Moorefield’s student section was up to its same old pre-game fun with reading newspapers during the roster announcements.
There was a camo theme and a quartet on the front row played with a miniature toy fishing rod catching plastic fish on the floor.
It was an auspicious start for the Mountain Lions as the Moorefield defense caused frustrations forcing four turnovers including steals by Jackson Helmick and Cyrus Kump, in addition to a blocked shot by Shawn Reed and four rimmed attempts.
Both teams came up empty in the opening minute, but an inbound connection from Kump to Reed gave the Yellow Jackets the initial lead, 2-nil at 5:40.
Moments after Cummings crashed to the floor on the block by Reed, Kump was whistled for a charge with a collision in the paint.
A Mountain Lions jumper by Marks tied the game at the 3:33 mark.
Failed communication on the Yellow Jackets ensuing play caused a turnover as the ball sailed awry, then Tucker County capitalized to take a 5-2 lead on a 3-pointer from Cummings at 2:30.
Moorefield’s Matthew Iman drew several defenders and dished to Kump for a bucket closing the gap to 5-4 at 2:10.
Helmick swatted a pass defensively creating a steal as the ball was caught by Reed, but the breakaway layup was stuffed by Arnold.
Both teams lost the ball out of bounds before a jump ball and miss by Moorefield to close out the final minute of the opening period.
Carson Dearborn netted a perimeter shot to start the second frame for the Mountain Lions, then Arnold sandwiched jumpers around a layup by Kump for a 12-6 lead at 5:30.
Tucker County forced a turnover and missed three consecutive shots with the last one rebounded by Moorefield’s Kail Greenwalt.
A steal by Dearborn and ensuing shot was denied by Helmick on a hustle play preventing the breakaway.
Dearborn got a second chance on the inbound play scoring inside the paint.
Moorefield failed to connect as Reed crashed in the lane, then Dearborn was whistled for a charge ramming inside.
Helmick drew a foul on a disputed block from Cummings as fans announced their displeasure and Helmick calmly made both free throws at 2:54.
Moorefield’s full court press created an interception for Kump with a laser assist to Reed for a layup within three seconds to cut the deficit to 14-10.
Arnold notched three field goals in a span of a minute for Tucker County to boost the lead to 20-10 as Xander Lambert hauled in two defensive caroms.
Iman crashed into the paint scoring for the Yellow Jackets to make it 20-12 with 1:24 left in the half.
The Mountain Lions lost the ball out of play, then Lambert blocked a shot.
Cummings and Greenwalt traded a free throw in the waning seconds.
Arnold nailed a buzzer beating trifecta as the Mountain Lions munched on a 24-13 lead entering the locker rooms.
Tucker County opened the third period forcing turnovers thrice in a row and scoring each time to build a 30-13 advantage just a minute and change into the frame (Arnold, Marks and Mikey Mitchell).
Moorefield stopped the run with a jumper by Reed at 6:13.
Tucker County answered with a bucket by Arnold.
The Yellow Jackets found an opening as Kump buzzed in for a layup at 5:16, 32-17.
Cummings netted a basket on the ensuing series.
Kump collected an offensive rebound and the sequence worked the ball back to him to make a jumper off an assist from Helmick at 3:22.
Marks garnered a 3-pointer for the Mountain Lions to take a 37-19 lead at 3:01.
Moorefield’s Edison Metheny drew a foul and made both charity stripe buckets on the next possession.
Reed made a monstrous block, then passed to Greenwalt who dished to Reed for the breakaway layup at 1:27, 39-23.
Tucker County entered the final stanza with a 41-23 lead and commenced it with an 8-0 run sparked by Mitchell’s 3-pointer.
The Mountain Lions forced four turnovers during that stretch and Lambert blocked a shot.
Iman and the Yellow Jackets stopped the run with a crashing play in the paint 5:45, 49-25.
Cummings made an old-fashioned three-point play as Tucker County grabbed a 55-26 lead with four minutes remaining.
Both teams hit iron, then Reed drew a foul on an offensive rebound and made both free throws.
During the final two minutes, Tucker County scored six more points, while Moorefield got a layup by Brendan Fawley and a perimeter basket from Greenwalt leading to a 61-33 final.
In JV action, Tucker County defeated the Yellow Jackets 49-27 led by D. Simmons game-high 17 points.
Moorefield JV was guided by Zakk Keplinger with 10 points, followed by Luke Stutler with nine points.
The Yellow Jackets visit Frankfort tonight and travel to Baker on Friday for the Hardy Boys Hardwood Classic against the Cougars.
