Gallery by Heather Belcher
The Beckley boys basketball team has been haunted this year by struggles in close games down the stretch.
Thursday night the ghosts were back inside the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.
Erasing a nine-point third quarter deficit to take a one-point lead with five minutes to play, the Flying Eagles self-destructed down the stretch against the visitors from South Charleston.
Misguided judgement, bad shots and crucial turnovers all led to a 9-0 run for the Black Eagles. When the final horn sounded, Beckley was on the wrong side of a 57-51 decision.
“That was very frustrating. We kind of beat ourselves with stuff that we were doing. It wasn’t really smart basketball at times,” Beckley head coach Ron Kidd said. “We have to be more poised as a team and not do stuff like that. South Charleston is good, but I feel like we have a really good team too.”
Trailing the Black Eagles by nine points with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter, all Heffernan broke out and Beckley came storming back.
A pair of 3-pointers from sophomore sharp-shooter Kellan Heffernan keyed a 10-3 Beckley run that pulled the Flying Eagles within two with eight minutes to play.
A triple from Heffernan to open the final quarter gave Beckley its first lead since midway through the second quarter.
However, it would be five minutes before Heffernan would get another shot attempt and by that time, the home team was down eight points with under two minutes to play.
“Once I see someone hit one, me as a point guard, I am going to find him again. I am going to give him a heat check, as they say, and see if he can hit another one,” Kidd said. “We have to know where people are and who is hot. (Kellan) was trying to get open to the get the ball. He was moving and doing what we wanted him to do.”
Over the key four minute stretch where the game slipped away, attempts at the rim went wanting for Beckley and costly turnovers turned the tide back in favor of the visitors.
“They are too athletic to attack the rim on (consistently) and if you do, you have to plant and go up strong. You have to get them up in the air and jump in to them,” Kidd said. “It looked like everybody was sucking in on the drives anyway. We have to see people.”
A straightaway 3-ball from Bryson Smith and three scores in the lane, two from point guard Nasjiah Smith capped the decisive 8-0 run that was key to the win for South Charleston.
With Beckley’s shot blocking force in the paint, Braydon Hawthorne, in street clothes due to an injury, the Black Eagles (9-3) had little fear of wandering into the paint Thursday.
“That is who we have to be to be good on offense. We have not shot the ball well from the perimeter and we do have guards that can attack,” South Charleston head coach Josh Daniel said. “Nasjiah does a good job getting to the rim and he found some creases tonight, especially down the stretch.”
Hawthorne’s absence was also felt in the rebounding battle where the visitors held a clear size advantage all night.
“It made it hard us, especially rebounding. Then when they did drive, they wouldn’t have got some of those shots off,” Kidd said. “They took advantage of what we had and that is smart on their part.”
Along with Hawthorne sitting, Beckley did not have Drew Fitzwater available due to illness or Preston Clary who was in a boot with a lower leg injury.
“I thought the kids we did have in the game played really hard,” Kidd said. “Jaylon and Elijah hadn’t practiced all week. Elijah with a hip (issue) and Jaylon with an ankle.”
Two days removed from handing AAAA No. 2 George Washington its first loss, Daniel was thrilled to leave Beckley with another big win.
“People don’t just come down here and win. That is why there are so many state championship banners hanging in the rafters. I know they have a young team, but this is a very good win,” Daniel said. “They are very talented and their secondary guys played really well. They have five guys out there that you have to guard.”
Heffernan led Beckley with 17 points. Redfern and Walton added 13 apiece.
Jones riddled Beckley for 19 points, while Smith and Christian Goeble each scored 13 for the Black Eagles.
Beckley (5-7) travels to sectional rival Oak Hill Friday.
SC: 11 15 17 14 – 57
B: 11 10 20 10 – 51
South Charleston
Peyton Brown 4, Nasjaih Jones 19, Jayden Motley 2, Roman Kellum 2, Bryson Smith 13, Christian Goeble 13, Shaudy Williams 4. Totals: 21 11-15 57.
Beckley
Coby Dillon 2, Elijah Redfern 13, Zyon Hawthorne 4, Ziyun Cousins 2, Kellan Herrernan17, Jaylon Walton 13. Totals: 20 5-6 51
3-pointers – SC: 4 (Goeble 3, Smith); B: 6 (Heffernan 5, Redfern).
