By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Another game, another thriller for the suddenly surging Calhoun Red Devils.
Wednesday night it required overtime but Calhoun managed to whip Doddridge County, 49-46, giving it a modest two-game winning streak.
In the overtime period the Red Devils jumped out front and were never caught
For Calhoun Justin Gerwig had a basket and Zach Moore a free throw to break the regular-game final score of 42-42 and seemed ready to put the Bulldogs away. But that's when Doddridge's long-range bomber Jordan Ross nailed a three-point goal - his fifth - to make it 45-45 and put the drama back into the contest.
The teams traded free throws - two by Moore for Calhoun and one by Zack Holden of Doddridge - to give Calhoun a one-point advantage heading into the final seconds. With the Red Devils having the ball and the clock winding down Moore hit Chucky Kendall with a long pass. He was fouled and went to the free throw line with the game riding on his shooting. He made both attempts giving Calhoun a 49-46 lead and setting the final score.
Doddridge came close to winning the game in regulation but Moore blocked a Nick Mires shot inside and Ross had his three-point attempt at the buzzer go off the rim.
Ross had a game-high 23 points for Doddridge, now 6-9. He was the only Doddridge player to finish in double figures.
He had bedeviled the Red Devils early in the game with four three-point goals in the first half and 14 points.
In the second half Calhoun put the clamps on him as Kyle Keesler, Bandon Clark and others took a run at him. Keesler did most of the defensive work on the junior sharpshooter which allowed Calhoun to come back from a halftime deficit for the win.
Moore led Calhoun with 21 points and 20 rebounds - missing by one having as many rebounds as the entire Doddridge team - while five assists and a steal and blocked shot. Gerwig continued his strong play inside with 14 points, including six in the first quarter before Doddridge changed its defense in an attempt to deny him the ball.
Kendall added six for the Red Devils, now 5-8, while Keesler had five and Clark three. Cai Clothier and Anthony Richards did not score but added some valuable time off the bench.
Doddridge, 12-2, won the junior varsity game by a 78-47 count.
The Bulldogs, who also have a ninth-grade team and play upperclassmen on its junior varsity squad, was led by Corey Aichele with a game-high 21. Justin Heflin added 10.
For Calhoun, now 0-10 and winless in the last six seasons, Dan Sims led the way with 14 points while playing only two quarters. He also had two steals, two assists and two rebounds. Brandon Sampson had 11 points, three steals and three rebounds before fouling out.
Caleb Schoolcraft chipped in with nine - all on three-point shots - while Tyler Bennett had six points and five steals. Quentin "Q Dawg" Murphy added three and Luke Moore and Derek Dawson had two each. Stuart Fitzwater played but did not score for the Red Devils who finished the game with only four players on the floor after Murphy and Trent Phillips joined Sampson on the bench with five fouls. Overall Calhoun, who did not have starting center Ricky Hall due to illness, was whistled for 23 personal fouls.
The Red Devils will try to continue their winning ways tonight (Thursday) when they travel to Clay County for a doubleheader.
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