Worth County’s boys had every reason to think they were reloading and not rebuilding after they beat Mercer 48-40 with just one day of practice to get ready and then totally unexpectedly beat South Harrison 49-42 in the first round of the Albany Tournament. Tyler New was carrying them offensively and the defense was doing all the rest. But then they came down to earth, falling to Platte Valley 73-29. Coach Les New said he thinks Platte Valley will go to state this year in basketball. The Tigers fell into a 21-4 hole after one and never seriously threatened.
Back to the drawing board for Saturday, they had to get scoring from someone besides Tyler New, and they had to get back to what was working the first two games. They succeeded on one front, getting five people into the scoring column and getting a season high in points scored Saturday. But they turned the ball over too many times in the first quarter (8) and let Pattonsburg, an explosive up-tempo team, dictate the pace of the game as they fell 67-54.
Tyler New got his points in the first quarter, getting six. They got scoring from other sources as Levi Cassavaugh added four and Wyatt Hill came off the bench to hit a 3-pointer. Wyatt Hill and Brayden Combs showed they were two of the most improved players from last year; buried on the bench last year in junior high, they worked their way into the rotation this year by making a lot of hustle plays.
But the Tigers dug themselves into too deep of a hole in the first quarter, turning the ball over 8 times as they struggled against Bill Pottorff and his multiple presses and up-tempo style. Gage Iddings was the heart and soul of the team in basketball like he was in football, and Landon Woodward stepped up to hit consecutive threes at the end of the first quarter to give Pattonsburg a 23-13 lead after one.
John Galanakis took a charge on defense to spark the Tigers to start the second quarter, and Tyler New scored off a drive and Tanner Ridge got a three point play to cut it to 23-18. Worth County’s ability to take charges this year helped keep them in the game; they took five charges Saturday. Galanakis had 2, while Franklynn Hoff, Wyatt Hill, and Levi Cassavaugh all had 1. But then Gage Iddings restored order for Pattonsburg by hitting a 3-pointer and adding a putback. While all the focus was on Iddings, Daltyn Sperry turned into a force as the game progressed, winding up with 22 points that night and hitting a couple of key baskets down the stretch.
There was an injury scare in the quarter as Gage Iddings tweaked his knee at one point as he was flying around the gym, but he went from momentary panic to lobbying Pottorff to stay in the game. He came out, but he returned to finish the game.
The game threatened to get out of hand in the third quarter when Landon Woodward’s drive put the Panthers up 41-21, and then later, Maesen Weller put them up 47-27. But then John Galanakis scored four straight, Tyler New scored a drive and a pullup, and Tanner Ridge hit a 3-pointer set up by a Tyler New drive to cut it to 47-36 again. Daltyn Sperry hit the first of two key baskets, getting all alone behind the Tiger defense and Sam Coin’s 3-pointer put Pattonsburg up 52-36, but then Wyatt Hill took a charge to spark the Tigers again and Tyler New’s 3-pointer at the third quarter buzzer put the Tigers back to within 54-41.
Tyler New’s free throws with 7:23 left cut it to 54-43, but then Daltyn Sperry started taking over the game, getting 11 points in the period after he was all alone for a wide open layup in response. Tyler New did all he could to match him, getting 10 in the period, and Tanner Ridge added his second 3-pointer, but it didn’t help that the Tigers missed three straight free throws down the stretch.
Tyler New had 27 for the Tigers. Tanner Ridge had 11, Levi Cassavaugh 11, John Galanakis 4, and Wyatt Hill 3.
Levi Cassavaugh had 7 boards. John Galanakis had 6, Tyler New and Tanner Ridge 4, Cannon Fletcher 3, and Brayden Combs, Wyatt Hill, Landon Moser, and Karson Briner 1 each.
Tyler New and Levi Cassavaugh had 5 assists each. Tanner Ridge had 3, Brayden Combs 2, and Cannon Fletcher 1.
Tyler New had 5 tips. Levi Cassavaugh had 4, Karson Briner and Cannon Fletcher 2 each, and John Galanakis and Tanner Ridge 1 each.
Levi Cassavaugh and Tyler New had 2 steals each. Karson Briner, John Galanakis, and Brayden Combs had 1 each.
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