District Final Preview: Wildcats set to face league rival Manchester for district title WATCH THE VIDEO
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
MOWRYSTOWN — The Whiteoak Wildcats and Manchester must have a quick turnaround this Saturday, as they have one day of preparation in between their district semifinal game and their championship game this Saturday at the Convocation Center in Athens.
In their district semifinal games, the Greyhounds defeated Southern, 64-55 and the Wildcats won over South Gallia, 67-36. In the sectional round, the Greyhounds defeated Sciotoville-East, 60-37, and WHS defeated the Green Bobcats, 65-58, in double overtime.
Each team will have just one day of rest before heading back to the Convocation Center for their district title game.
"We won't go real long (Friday) in practice," WHS head coach Tom Wessner said. "We've played Manchester twice, so that helps that we've played them twice. We will work on some things, talk about some things and concepts. We will get the guys in and out and get down here."
On Thursday, WHS was led by five players who scored at least 11 points. Leading the way were senior Joe Michael and sophomore Doc Seip, who each scored 15 points. Senior Mike Carraher, along with sophomores Luke Taggert and Gage Carraher, all scored 11 points apiece. Senior Logan Morris and junior Wes Stratton each scored two points in the win.
These two teams split their season series in the Southern Hills League, with each team winning the home game as MHS won at their home court Jan. 4, 75-61 and the Wildcats won at WHS 57-43 on Jan. 28.
Manchester is coached by Aaron Lockhart.
"Manchester has two very good players in (Blake) Blevins and (Travis) Combs, and they have very good complementary players," Wessner said, "Their complementary players are as good as any team in the league and Southeastern Ohio."
In the Jan. 4 game at Manchester, Travis Combs led MHS with 24 points. Also scoring in double figures in that game were Blake Blevins with 19 and Dalton West with 12. MHS shot 60 percent from the field (30-of-50) and were 10-of-17 from the free-throw line. For WHS, Michael scored 21 points and Taggert had nine points. Both teams shot 10-of-15 from the free-throw line.
In the Jan. 28 game, Combs scored 11 points for the team-high in scoring. West scored nine points and Blevins had two points. In this game MHS shot 30 percent from the field (17-of-56). For WHS in the second meeting Michael tallied 25 points, followed by Gage Carraher and Doc Seip each with 11 points. WHS shot 18-of-31 from the free-throw line.
"Our strengths are their weaknesses and their strengths are our weaknesses," Wessner said. "Hopefully we can get our style in, do what we want to do, and if we can do that, we'll be OK."
This season, the Wildcats have scored 1,259 points in 22 games, averaging 57.2 points per game. They have allowed 1,217 points, an average of 55.3 ppg.
For the Greyhounds (17-5), they have scored 1,436 points in 22 games, averaging 65.3 ppg. Defensively, MHS has allowed 1,347 points (61.2 ppg).
In the regular season, Combs led the Greyhounds with 19.1 ppg and Blevins averaged 17.5 ppg.
For WHS, Michael led in the regular season with 17.4 ppg, along with 7.5 rebounds per game. In the regular season, he shot 50 percent from the field. This postseason (two games) Michael is averaging 15 ppg. Seip is averaging 14 ppg this tournament.
In their two tournament games, the Greyhounds are averaging 62 ppg. WHS is averaging 66 ppg.
The Wildcats and Greyhounds tip-off at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in Athens.[[In-content Ad]]
In their district semifinal games, the Greyhounds defeated Southern, 64-55 and the Wildcats won over South Gallia, 67-36. In the sectional round, the Greyhounds defeated Sciotoville-East, 60-37, and WHS defeated the Green Bobcats, 65-58, in double overtime.
Each team will have just one day of rest before heading back to the Convocation Center for their district title game.
"We won't go real long (Friday) in practice," WHS head coach Tom Wessner said. "We've played Manchester twice, so that helps that we've played them twice. We will work on some things, talk about some things and concepts. We will get the guys in and out and get down here."
On Thursday, WHS was led by five players who scored at least 11 points. Leading the way were senior Joe Michael and sophomore Doc Seip, who each scored 15 points. Senior Mike Carraher, along with sophomores Luke Taggert and Gage Carraher, all scored 11 points apiece. Senior Logan Morris and junior Wes Stratton each scored two points in the win.
These two teams split their season series in the Southern Hills League, with each team winning the home game as MHS won at their home court Jan. 4, 75-61 and the Wildcats won at WHS 57-43 on Jan. 28.
Manchester is coached by Aaron Lockhart.
"Manchester has two very good players in (Blake) Blevins and (Travis) Combs, and they have very good complementary players," Wessner said, "Their complementary players are as good as any team in the league and Southeastern Ohio."
In the Jan. 4 game at Manchester, Travis Combs led MHS with 24 points. Also scoring in double figures in that game were Blake Blevins with 19 and Dalton West with 12. MHS shot 60 percent from the field (30-of-50) and were 10-of-17 from the free-throw line. For WHS, Michael scored 21 points and Taggert had nine points. Both teams shot 10-of-15 from the free-throw line.
In the Jan. 28 game, Combs scored 11 points for the team-high in scoring. West scored nine points and Blevins had two points. In this game MHS shot 30 percent from the field (17-of-56). For WHS in the second meeting Michael tallied 25 points, followed by Gage Carraher and Doc Seip each with 11 points. WHS shot 18-of-31 from the free-throw line.
"Our strengths are their weaknesses and their strengths are our weaknesses," Wessner said. "Hopefully we can get our style in, do what we want to do, and if we can do that, we'll be OK."
This season, the Wildcats have scored 1,259 points in 22 games, averaging 57.2 points per game. They have allowed 1,217 points, an average of 55.3 ppg.
For the Greyhounds (17-5), they have scored 1,436 points in 22 games, averaging 65.3 ppg. Defensively, MHS has allowed 1,347 points (61.2 ppg).
In the regular season, Combs led the Greyhounds with 19.1 ppg and Blevins averaged 17.5 ppg.
For WHS, Michael led in the regular season with 17.4 ppg, along with 7.5 rebounds per game. In the regular season, he shot 50 percent from the field. This postseason (two games) Michael is averaging 15 ppg. Seip is averaging 14 ppg this tournament.
In their two tournament games, the Greyhounds are averaging 62 ppg. WHS is averaging 66 ppg.
The Wildcats and Greyhounds tip-off at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in Athens.[[In-content Ad]]