BRIDGEPORT – The Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneers had their lowest offensive output of the season against the Class AAAA No. 6 Bridgeport Indians in a 53-38 setback Friday night in Big 10 Conference play.
The 38 points was a season-low for the Bucs and it couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Bucs in a key game against Bridgeport with sectional and regional seedings on the line.
The Bucs shot just 33.3 percent from the field making 14 of their 42 field goal attempts and they didn’t help themselves at the free throw line either going just 7-for-16 for 43.8 percent.
The loss likely means now that the Bucs will have to travel to either University or Bridgeport for their sectional opener in three weeks. The Bucs are now 1-2 against sectional teams while both Bridgeport and University are both 2-0 with still a game against each other left. Preston is 0-3 against sectional foes.
Buckhannon-Upshur’s Malaki Williams scored on a short jumper that tied the game at 6-6 with 3:21 remaining in the opening quarter, but the Bucs would never be as close to the Indians the rest of the game.
Bridgeport went on an 8-0 run before Jerin Westfall put in a free throw to wrap up the quarter leaving the Bucs down 14-7.
Bridgeport extended their lead to 22-9 before the Bucs went on a 7-0 run behind a pair of lay-ups from Jaden Westfall and a trey from Jerin Westfall that closed the gap to 22-16 with 90 seconds remaining in the first half.
B-U went into the break down 24-16.
Down 28-19, Buckhannon-Upshur went on a 6-0 run after a free throw from Jevon Westfall, and a dunk, a lay-up and a free throw from Carter Zuliani that narrowed the gap to three, at 28-25, with 3:24 remaining in the third quarter.
Bridgeport responded with a 9-0 run that put them up by a 37-25 score with 1:21 left in the third.
The third quarter ended with the Bucs down by a 40-28 score.
Jaden Westfall started the fourth quarter with a free throw, and after a Bridgeport basket by Zach Ayoob, Williams dropped in a seven-footer to make it a 42-31 game with 6:38 remaining.
B-U couldn’t get any closer the rest of the game.
Landon Sanders and Phoenix Sickles both had 14 points to lead Bridgeport who improved to 13-2 overall and 7-2 in conference play.
Jaden Westfall paced the Bucs with 12 points and eight rebounds while Jerin Westfall had 10 points and four rebounds and Zuliani had eight points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
The Bucs held a 39-31 rebounding margin.
Buckhannon-Upshur dropped to 10-5 overall and 6-4 in the Big 10.
They will be back in action Tuesday in the Par Mar Shootout at West Virginia State against Ripley.
The game will start at 12:30 p.m.
The boxscore:
Buckhannon-Upshur 7 9 12 10 – 38
Bridgeport 14 10 16 13 – 53
Buckhannon-Upshur 38
Jaden Westfall 5-9 2-5 12; Jerin Westfall 3-11 1-2 10; Carter Zuliani 3-9 2-5 8; Malaki Williams 3-3 0-0 6; Jevon Westfall 0-1 1-2 1; Nathaniel Ringer 0-1 1-2 1; Ian Strader 0-5 0-0 0; Bryson Johnston 0-3 0-0 0; Landon Marple 0 0-0 0; Brody McDaniels 0 0-0 0. Totals 14-42 7-16 38.
Bridgeport 53
Landon Sanders 5-8 0-0 14; Phoenix Sickles 5-14 4-5 14; Jack Spatafore 2-4 3-4 8; Ashton Curry 3-9 1-1 7; Zach Ayoob 3-5 0-0 6; Anderson McDougal 1-2 2-4 4; Rowen Michaelis 0-2 0-0 0; Ben Bifano 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 19-48 10-14 53.
Three-point field goals – Buckhannon-Upshur: Jerin Westfall 3-10; Strader 0-2; Johnston 0-1; Jevon Westfall 0-1. Totals 3-14; Bridgeport: Sanders 4-7; Spatafore 1-2; Curry 0-1; Sickles 0-1. Totals 5-11.
Rebounds – Buckhannon-Upshur: Zuliani 11; Jaden Westfall 8; Strader 4; Jerin Westfall 4; Ringer 3; deadball 3; Williams 2; team 2; Johnston 1; Jevon Westfall 1. Totals 39; Bridgeport: Sickles 12; Ayoob 5; Bifano 4; team 3; Spatafore 3; deadball 2; McDougal 1; Sanders 1. Totals 31.
Assists – Buckhannon-Upshur: Jaden Westfall 4; Strader 1; Jerin Westfall 1; Zuliani 1. Totals 7; Bridgeport: McDougal 3; Ayoob 2; Curry 2. Totals 7.
Steals – Buckhannon-Upshur: Jaden Westfall 2; Strader 1; Jerin Westfall 1; Zuliani 1. Totals 5; Bridgeport: Curry 3; Ayoob 2; Bifano 1; McDougal 1; Spatafore 1. Totals 8.
Blocked shots – Buckhannon-Upshur: Zuliani 3; Jevon Westfall 1. Totals 4; Bridgeport: Spatafore 1. Totals 1.
Turnovers – Buckhannon-Upshur: 14; Bridgeport: 7.
Fouls – Buckhannon-Upshur 9; Bridgeport 13.
