Basketball Bucs end year with regional tournament loss to Morgantown

Duane Carpenter
March 9, 2023

MORGANTOWN – Sometimes it’s just not meant to be your night and such was the case for the Buckhannon-Upshur basketball team in their regional tournament clash with the Morgantown Mohigans Wednesday night.

The Mohigans, the top Class AAAA team in the state, were simply too much for the Bucs to overcome in an 89-26 setback with a berth in the state tournament on the line.

Buckhannon-Upshur fell behind by a 17-0 score just 4 ½ minutes into the contest.

They didn’t get on the board until Carter Zuliani turned in an old-fashioned three-point play at the 3:15 mark. It was the only three points for the Bucs in the opening quarter.

Morgantown closed the quarter with a 7-0 run making it a 24-3 contest heading into the second quarter.

Things didn’t get any better for the Bucs as they managed just six points in the second quarter.

A Zuliani basket made it a 28-5 game and a Bryson Johnston basket made it a 33-7 contest with 4:03 left in the half.

Ian Strader had the final basket for the Bucs in the quarter with a lay-up with 10 seconds remaining.

B-U trailed at the break by a 50-9 score.

The Bucs were down 74-19 heading into the final frame and were outscored by a 15-7 margin in the fourth quarter.

Zuliani led the Bucs with nine points while Malaki Williams and Jaden Westfall each had five points.

The Bucs closed out their year with a 7-18 record

Morgantown was led by Cameron Danser’s 21 points.

They improved to 23-2 and will be the top seed in the AAAA state tournament and will meet Bridgeport next week in their tournament opener.

The boxscore:

Buckhannon-Upshur 3 6 10 7 – 26

Morgantown 24 26 24 15 – 89

Buckhannon-Upshur 26

Carter Zuliani 4-9 1-3 9; Malaki Williams 2-4 1-2 5; Jaden Westfall 2-6 1-2 5; Jerin Westfall 1-5 0-0 3; Bryson Johnston 1-4 0-0 2; Ian Strader 1-7 0-0 2; Zach Calef-Boring 0-7 0-0 0; Jevon Westfall 0-2 0-2 0; Nathaniel Ringer 0-1 0-0 0; Chase Spencer 0-0 0-0 0; Petyon Cutlip 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 11-45 3-9 26.

Morgantown 89

Cameron Danser 9-11 0-0 21; Sharron Young 4-5 0-0 12; Brody Davis 4-5 2-2 12; Jonathon Shrewsberry 4-5 0-0 11; Garrison Kisner 3-4 0-0 6; Dakoma Neal 2-6 1-1 6; Carter Murray 2-4 0-0 4; Amarion Johnson 2-6 0-0 4; Izzy Everett 1-5 0-0 3; Brady Savage 1-1 0-0 3; Jacob King 1-2 1-2 3; Alex Himes 1-1 0-0 2; Jaylon Hill 1-2 0-0 2; Waylon Colistra 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 37-63 4-5 89.

Three-point field goals – Buckhannon-Upshur: Jerin Westfall 1-3; Ringer 0-1; Calef-Boring 0-1; Jevon Westfall 0-1; Strader 0-1. Totals 1-7; Morgantown: Danser 3-4; Shrewsberry 3-4; Davis 2-3; Neal 1-2; Everett 1-5; Savage 1-1; King 0-1; Colistra 0-1; Young 0-1; Murray 0-1; Johnson 0-1. Totals 11-24.

Rebounds – Buckhannon-Upshur: Zuliani 7; Calef-Boring 3; Williams 3; Jevon Westfall 3; Johnston 2; Strader 2; Jerin Westfall 1; Cutlip 1; Jaden Westfall 1; Morgantown: Davis 7; Danser 5; King 3; Shrewsberry 3; Hill 3; Colistra 2; Young 2; Johnson 2; Kisner 2; Savage 2; Neal 1.

Assists – Buckhannon-Upshur: Johnston 1; Zuliani 1. Totals 2; Morgantown: Johnson 3; Davis 1; King 1; Murray 1; Savage 1; Hill 1. Totals 8.

Steals – Buckhannon-Upshur: Zuliani 1; Jerin Westfall 1. Totals 2; Morgantown: Young 6; Danser 3; King 1; Himes 1; Davis 1; Hill 1. Totals 13.

Blocked shots – Buckhannon-Upshur: Williams 1. Totals 1; Morgantown: None.

Fouls – Buckhannon-Upshur: 8; Morgantown: 11.

Turnovers – Buckhannon-Upshur: 18; Morgantown: 3.