Parkersburg South takes Holiday Tournament in comeback victory
PARKERSBURG — Parkersburg South boys basketball has experienced its fair share of nailbiters under coach Mike Fallon.
Friday’s 66-65 victory over Gaston Day School (N.C.) in the championship game of the Parkersburg South Hoops Holiday Tournament ranks right there among the bet he has experienced during a regular season setting.
The Patriots recovered from an 11-point, third-quarter deficit and improved to 5-0. The Patriot faithful did a collective exhale when Gaston Day’s Evan Montanari’s 3-point attempt from the baseline hit the backside of the rim and fell harmlessly to the ground as time expired in regulation.
“I was on my knees in front of the bench when that shot went up doing a quick prayer,” Fallon said. “He got a good look and I held by breath as it was going through the air.
“I’ve been here a while and that was one of the best wins I can remember in a regular season game just because of the way we had to fight, dig and claw — and find a way. The kids get all the credit. They made the plays.”
Behind the urging of the coaching at halftime, senior playmaker Austin Reeves looked to score and responded by scoring the team’s first eight points out of the break. He finished with 16 points and seven assists, none more important than the dish to teammate Nathan Plotner at 7.7 seconds in the fourth quarter.
Plotner’s bucket not only tied the game at 65, but was fouled and converted the and-one to put South in front 66-65. Plotner scored all 16 of his points after halftime all while being defended by 6-foot-11 Callum Richard.
“In the second half, I was attacking,” Reeves said. “Coming out after halftime, our coaching staff just told me to get downhill. There was some pressure trying to shoot over (Richard). I tried to make one move and if I saw (Richard) come, I tried to get it to Plotner for the layup.
“I always have to keep a spot in my head for Plotner is and try to find him.”
Coached by 2003 Parkersburg South graduate Trent McCallister, Gaston Day (9-4) stayed on even terms with South throughout the first half. In the final minute and a half of the second quarter, the lead changed hands four times.
“We’re a small school and we don’t get to play in front of huge crowds all the time,” McCallister said. “For me personally, it was great to be back home and get to see friends. To play two quality opponents, this will be a valuable experience for us moving forward and something we can build on as we move into the heart of our conference season.”
The Patriots led 34-30 in the early stages of the third quarter before the Spartans went on a 20-6 run over the next six minutes. In the third quarter alone, Montanari drained four 3-pointers and scored 16 of his game-high 25 points.
“At halftime (of Thursday’s semifinal game), I got on Nathan pretty hard — even had to apologize because I felt so bad for doing that,” Fallon said. “He accepted that challenge in the post tonight and did a great job. I still think he is a mid-major basketball player. He continues to develop. If you have seen his dad, he is an absolute monster. Nathan is going to get bigger.”
Plotner’s offensive putback plus his free throw to cap the three-point play merged with the senior free throw to open the final quarter led to a six-point surge when Aiden Blake’s steal resulted in yet another South bucket. Just like that, the Patriots were back in business trailing, 53-48.
The last eight minutes were all about catchup for South, which did not move in front until Plotner’s three-point play at 7.7 seconds. The comeback process took place all in the paint. After knocking down five 3-pointers in the first half, South did not have a 3-point make in the final 16 minutes.
“Our kids will tell you hearing this probably drives them crazy, we call it points in the paint,” Fallon said. “We score more points in the paint, we are going to beat teams we play. Everybody thinks we are such good 3-point shooters. Last year, 70 percent of our points came in the paint.”
On the flip side, Gaston Day combined for 10 3-pointers, including five apiece from Montanari and Deshawn Coulter. Coulter and Richard both pitched in 18 points.
The Spartans played without senior Colin Fayed, who broke his wrist in Thursday’s semifinal win over Mt. Lebanon.
“Our kids are smart and can execute stuff, it’s just that the shot didn’t drop,” McCallister said. “I was proud of the guys there in the third quarter. They shot the ball well. Everybody feels incredibly disappointed for Colin and the injury (Thursday) night. They felt bad for him and really wanted to rally behind him. He’s been just like an iron man for us.”
South returns to action Monday evening at Harvest Day Prep. The Patriots’ varsity is scheduled to play Tri-Village at 6 p.m.
“Tonight is really the first time all year we have had to handle adversity,” Fallon said. “I thought Austin Reeves grew up a ton tonight. In the third quarter, he settled us down and kept us calm.
“Last year, Austin battled Ashton (Mooney) every day, nose-to-nose non-stop in practice. And that had made him a player. He wasn’t one of those kids who sat and pouted because he was playing behind Ashton. He challenged Ashton, and got better.”
Also scoring in double figures for Mt. Lebanon were Brody Barber with 16 points and Nate Girod with 10 points.
For Nansemond-Suffolk (3-8), Caden Bradford finished with 15 points, Isaiah Fuhrmann added 14 points and Tres Williams scored 10 points.
PARKERSBURG — Parkersburg South boys basketball has experienced its fair share of nailbiters under coach Mike Fallon.
Friday’s 66-65 victory over Gaston Day School (N.C.) in the championship game of the Parkersburg South Hoops Holiday Tournament ranks right there among the bet he has experienced during a regular season setting.
The Patriots recovered from an 11-point, third-quarter deficit and improved to 5-0. The Patriot faithful did a collective exhale when Gaston Day’s Evan Montanari’s 3-point attempt from the baseline hit the backside of the rim and fell harmlessly to the ground as time expired in regulation.
“I was on my knees in front of the bench when that shot went up doing a quick prayer,” Fallon said. “He got a good look and I held by breath as it was going through the air.
“I’ve been here a while and that was one of the best wins I can remember in a regular season game just because of the way we had to fight, dig and claw — and find a way. The kids get all the credit. They made the plays.”
Behind the urging of the coaching at halftime, senior playmaker Austin Reeves looked to score and responded by scoring the team’s first eight points out of the break. He finished with 16 points and seven assists, none more important than the dish to teammate Nathan Plotner at 7.7 seconds in the fourth quarter.
Plotner’s bucket not only tied the game at 65, but was fouled and converted the and-one to put South in front 66-65. Plotner scored all 16 of his points after halftime all while being defended by 6-foot-11 Callum Richard.
“In the second half, I was attacking,” Reeves said. “Coming out after halftime, our coaching staff just told me to get downhill. There was some pressure trying to shoot over (Richard). I tried to make one move and if I saw (Richard) come, I tried to get it to Plotner for the layup.
“I always have to keep a spot in my head for Plotner is and try to find him.”
Coached by 2003 Parkersburg South graduate Trent McCallister, Gaston Day (9-4) stayed on even terms with South throughout the first half. In the final minute and a half of the second quarter, the lead changed hands four times.
“We’re a small school and we don’t get to play in front of huge crowds all the time,” McCallister said. “For me personally, it was great to be back home and get to see friends. To play two quality opponents, this will be a valuable experience for us moving forward and something we can build on as we move into the heart of our conference season.”
The Patriots led 34-30 in the early stages of the third quarter before the Spartans went on a 20-6 run over the next six minutes. In the third quarter alone, Montanari drained four 3-pointers and scored 16 of his game-high 25 points.
“At halftime (of Thursday’s semifinal game), I got on Nathan pretty hard — even had to apologize because I felt so bad for doing that,” Fallon said. “He accepted that challenge in the post tonight and did a great job. I still think he is a mid-major basketball player. He continues to develop. If you have seen his dad, he is an absolute monster. Nathan is going to get bigger.”
Plotner’s offensive putback plus his free throw to cap the three-point play merged with the senior free throw to open the final quarter led to a six-point surge when Aiden Blake’s steal resulted in yet another South bucket. Just like that, the Patriots were back in business trailing, 53-48.
The last eight minutes were all about catchup for South, which did not move in front until Plotner’s three-point play at 7.7 seconds. The comeback process took place all in the paint. After knocking down five 3-pointers in the first half, South did not have a 3-point make in the final 16 minutes.
“Our kids will tell you hearing this probably drives them crazy, we call it points in the paint,” Fallon said. “We score more points in the paint, we are going to beat teams we play. Everybody thinks we are such good 3-point shooters. Last year, 70 percent of our points came in the paint.”
On the flip side, Gaston Day combined for 10 3-pointers, including five apiece from Montanari and Deshawn Coulter. Coulter and Richard both pitched in 18 points.
The Spartans played without senior Colin Fayed, who broke his wrist in Thursday’s semifinal win over Mt. Lebanon.
“Our kids are smart and can execute stuff, it’s just that the shot didn’t drop,” McCallister said. “I was proud of the guys there in the third quarter. They shot the ball well. Everybody feels incredibly disappointed for Colin and the injury (Thursday) night. They felt bad for him and really wanted to rally behind him. He’s been just like an iron man for us.”
South returns to action Monday evening at Harvest Day Prep. The Patriots’ varsity is scheduled to play Tri-Village at 6 p.m.
“Tonight is really the first time all year we have had to handle adversity,” Fallon said. “I thought Austin Reeves grew up a ton tonight. In the third quarter, he settled us down and kept us calm.
“Last year, Austin battled Ashton (Mooney) every day, nose-to-nose non-stop in practice. And that had made him a player. He wasn’t one of those kids who sat and pouted because he was playing behind Ashton. He challenged Ashton, and got better.”
Also scoring in double figures for Mt. Lebanon were Brody Barber with 16 points and Nate Girod with 10 points.
For Nansemond-Suffolk (3-8), Caden Bradford finished with 15 points, Isaiah Fuhrmann added 14 points and Tres Williams scored 10 points.