It was a tough day for the Tallman family on Thursday.
Before Dave Tallman Jr.’s Morgantown boys basketball team sustained its first loss of the season to Hurricane, Dave Tallman Sr.’s Magnolia squad took on two-time defending Class A champion Tug Valley. The Blue Eagles were on the losing end of a 91-43 defeat at the Country Roads Classic.
The Panthers took control from the outset and never trailed as coach Garland "Rabbit" Thompson worked every player on the bench into the action in the Walker Convocation Center at West Virginia State University.
Tug Valley (11-4) got 15 points from Zade Rash as the Panthers led 12-1 before Noah Wood made Magnolia’s first field goal. Tug responded to Wood’s 3-point shot with a 20-0 run that lasted until 5:49 of the second quarter, when it was snapped by another Wood 3-point shot.
“We just have to find out where we are [as a team],” said Tallman, who has won three state titles at Magnolia. “The only way you can do that is to play Tug and Tucker [County]. We’ve played them both. We know we have a long way to go.”
Magnolia (7-10) scored 15 points in the second quarter, but still trailed Tug 51-19 at halftime. Wood finished with 13 points, while Kingsten Christen led the Blue Eagles with 16.
Wood paced Magnolia with seven rebounds, but Tug Valley dominated that statistical category too, 50-29. Cameron Slone led the Panthers on the glass with seven rebounds. Three of his teammates had five caroms and three more had four.
“I thought we got off to a very good start,” Thompson said. “I don’t think Zade Rash missed a shot.”
Indeed, Rash finished 6 of 6 from the floor, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range.
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The Panthers shot 37 of 75 from the field (49.3%) and 9 of 23 (39.1%) from 3. On defense, Tug forced Magnolia into 18 turnovers.
“I thought we played very well, you know, very active,” Thompson said. “It’s always good to come up here and get a win.”
Thompson said a fast start was important for Tug Valley, which has struggled with doing that in the past. The early advantage also allowed him to get valuable minutes for more inexperienced players.
Playing time proved valuable for Magnolia too, Tallman said. Wood was returning from an injury that has nagged him all season, and his coach said he was pleased with what he saw.
“Always look for the positive,” Tallman said. “We have a returning first-team All-State player in Kingsten Christen, so we build around him. He’s our captain. Then we have 6-7 sophomore Noah Wood. He’s not in shape yet, so there’s the two building blocks.”
Magnolia has lost just one game against teams from its region, Tallman said, and after playing Wirt County the last two seasons at WVSU’s high school showcase, it was good to mix it up with the likes of Tug Valley.
TUG VALLEY 26 25 25 15 — 91: Elia 4-5 0-0 11, Ferris 4-10 0-1 9, Flemings 2-5 1-1 5, Copeland 4-11 2-2 11, Jewell 2-8 0-0 4, May 4-5 4-6 13, Slone 4-9 0-0 8, Hodge 1-2 1-1 3, Newsome 6-9 0-0 12, Hale 0-2 0-0 0, Rash 6-6 3-3 15. Totals 37-75 8-11 91.
MAGNOLIA 4 15 12 12 — 43: Byers 0-3 0-0 0, Anderson 1-1 0-3 3, Bailey 1-1 0-0 3, K.Christen 6-15 2-4 16, D.Christen 1-3 0-0 2, Werkau 1-1 0-0 3, Higgins 0-4 1-2 1, Hood 4-8 1-2 13, Sickles 0-2 0-0 0, Coulter 0-1 0-0 0, Loy 0-1 0-0 0, Wade 0-2 0-2 0, Fortney 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 15-47 4-10 43.
3-point goals: Tug Valley 9-23 (Rash 3-3, Elia 3-4, Ferris 1-5, Copeland 1-4, May 1-1), Magnolia 9-25 (Hood 4-7, K.Christen 2-8, Anderson 1-1, Werkau 1-1, Bailey 1-1). Rebounds: Tug Valley 50 (Slone 7, Jewell 5, May 5, Hodge 5, Elia 4, Ferris 4, Rash 4, Flemings 3, Newsome 3, Hale 3, Brumfield 1), Magnolia 29 (Hood 7, Loy 4, Byers 3, K.Christen 3, D.Christen 2, Wade 2, Bailey 1, Sickles 1).
