District Tournament Preview: Wildcats look to continue momentum against South Gallia
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
MOWRYSTOWN — Over a week has passed since the Whiteoak Wildcats and South Gallia have played in a basketball game, but this Thursday, at the Convocation Center, all that will change as the 'Cats and Rebels step onto the court Thursday night in Athens.
The game was originally scheduled for Monday, March 7, but due to scheduling conflicts, it will take place on Thursday.
For the first time this postseason, the Wildcats will experience Basketball Thirty in Athens.
The Wildcats are entering the game at 10-11 overall, coming off a double-overtime sectional final win over the Green Bobcats (65-58) at Valley High School. This is the Wildcats' first trip to the district semifinals since 2007. WHS hasn't won a district game since 2006 and has not won a district title since 2003.
But in 2011, this group of Wildcats proved they can play with the best teams as Green was the co-champion of the Southern Ohio Conference. In that game, WHS played most of the fourth quarter and both overtime periods without their senior leaders in Joe Michael, a 1,000-point scorer (who tallied 15 points vs. Green), and Mike Carraher, who scored 14 points against Green, including four 3-pointers.
WHS has won their past four games, defeating Fayetteville, Felicity, West Union and Green. In these games, they have allowed no more than 58 points, and have scored 60-or-more points three of those four wins.
Though this is the 13th time the Wildcats have been a district semifinalist, they are looking to continue their tournament run Thursday. To do that, they have to face a South Gallia team who also defeated a higher-seeded opponent in their path to the Convocation Center.
The Rebels of South Gallia, who are coached by Donald Saunders, enter the game with an 11-10 overall mark. To reach the district tournament they defeated Symmes Valley, 37-35.
South Gallia has won their past four games, defeating Miller (twice), Waterford and Symmes Valley.
The Rebels went 7-9 in the Tri-Valley (Div. II) and 3-7 on the road. At a neutral site, they are 1-0.
They average 51 points per game and 30.1 rebounds per game, along with 15.9 assists per game.
South Gallia is led in scoring by junior Cory Haner with 12.4 ppg. He's scored 260 points this season. Haner (5-9) has made 31 3-pointers (attempted 108) and is 53-of-85 from the free-throw line. He also has 63 assists and 104 rebounds (5 rpg).
Junior Dalton Mattney (6-1) averages 11.4 ppg, scoring 239 points. He also had 61 assists and 128 rebounds (6.1 rpg). Mattney is 34-of-55 from the free-throw line.
The leading rebounder for South Gallia is 6-1 junior Levi Ellis with 140 (56 offensive). Ellis averages 6.7 rpg and has 27 steals this season, along with 77 steals. He averages 7.4 ppg.
Other standouts for South Gallia are junior Jaylan Nolan with 9.5 ppg (181 points) and junior Danny Mattney with 9.9 ppg (207 points).
The Rebels have three seniors, six juniors, three freshmen and no sophomores.
South Gallia has scored 1,071 points and are 176-of-318 as a team from the free-throw line. Other Rebel stats include: 308 team turnovers, 319 personal fouls and 12 taken charges. Haner took five this season.
Tip-off for the Wildcats and Rebels is scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday night at the Convocation Center in Athens on the campus of Ohio University.[[In-content Ad]]
The game was originally scheduled for Monday, March 7, but due to scheduling conflicts, it will take place on Thursday.
For the first time this postseason, the Wildcats will experience Basketball Thirty in Athens.
The Wildcats are entering the game at 10-11 overall, coming off a double-overtime sectional final win over the Green Bobcats (65-58) at Valley High School. This is the Wildcats' first trip to the district semifinals since 2007. WHS hasn't won a district game since 2006 and has not won a district title since 2003.
But in 2011, this group of Wildcats proved they can play with the best teams as Green was the co-champion of the Southern Ohio Conference. In that game, WHS played most of the fourth quarter and both overtime periods without their senior leaders in Joe Michael, a 1,000-point scorer (who tallied 15 points vs. Green), and Mike Carraher, who scored 14 points against Green, including four 3-pointers.
WHS has won their past four games, defeating Fayetteville, Felicity, West Union and Green. In these games, they have allowed no more than 58 points, and have scored 60-or-more points three of those four wins.
Though this is the 13th time the Wildcats have been a district semifinalist, they are looking to continue their tournament run Thursday. To do that, they have to face a South Gallia team who also defeated a higher-seeded opponent in their path to the Convocation Center.
The Rebels of South Gallia, who are coached by Donald Saunders, enter the game with an 11-10 overall mark. To reach the district tournament they defeated Symmes Valley, 37-35.
South Gallia has won their past four games, defeating Miller (twice), Waterford and Symmes Valley.
The Rebels went 7-9 in the Tri-Valley (Div. II) and 3-7 on the road. At a neutral site, they are 1-0.
They average 51 points per game and 30.1 rebounds per game, along with 15.9 assists per game.
South Gallia is led in scoring by junior Cory Haner with 12.4 ppg. He's scored 260 points this season. Haner (5-9) has made 31 3-pointers (attempted 108) and is 53-of-85 from the free-throw line. He also has 63 assists and 104 rebounds (5 rpg).
Junior Dalton Mattney (6-1) averages 11.4 ppg, scoring 239 points. He also had 61 assists and 128 rebounds (6.1 rpg). Mattney is 34-of-55 from the free-throw line.
The leading rebounder for South Gallia is 6-1 junior Levi Ellis with 140 (56 offensive). Ellis averages 6.7 rpg and has 27 steals this season, along with 77 steals. He averages 7.4 ppg.
Other standouts for South Gallia are junior Jaylan Nolan with 9.5 ppg (181 points) and junior Danny Mattney with 9.9 ppg (207 points).
The Rebels have three seniors, six juniors, three freshmen and no sophomores.
South Gallia has scored 1,071 points and are 176-of-318 as a team from the free-throw line. Other Rebel stats include: 308 team turnovers, 319 personal fouls and 12 taken charges. Haner took five this season.
Tip-off for the Wildcats and Rebels is scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday night at the Convocation Center in Athens on the campus of Ohio University.[[In-content Ad]]