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Waterford boys too much for Belpre

RON JOHNSTON The Marietta Times Belpre’s Deijon Bedgood, left, handles the ball as Waterford’s Isaac Huffman defends during a high school boys basketball game Friday night.

BELPRE — Waterford sizzled, while Belpre fizzled.

The Ohio Division IV 10th-ranked Wildcats never trailed en route to an 81-42 triumph over the host Golden Eagles in a Tri-Valley Conference Hocking Division boys basketball game Friday on Senior Night.

“We came out and we got going,” said WHS head coach Tom Simms, whose TVC champion Wildcats were 33 for 55 from the floor in the contest. “The guys like coming here and playing. It’s like being at the high school at home. They really like this gym, and they really got going.”

Bryce Hilverding paced the Cats (16-4 overall, 15-0 TVC) with 20 points, including six triples. Jordan Welch added 18 points, all in the first half, while Travis Pottmeyer and Tyler McCutcheon each had 12 apiece.

“Jordan got in a real good sync in the first half,” Simms said. “And Bryce really got hot in the second (half).

“But it’s across the board. You’ve got Isaac (Huffman), Tyler and Travis, and you bring in RB (Riley Burns), (Andrew) Thieman and Cody (Harris).”

Belpre (8-14) was led by senior Deijon Bedgood, who tallied 10 points. Nate Godrey chipped in with eight markers, all in the first half. Last month, the Golden Eagles dropped an 80-52 decision to the Wildcats at the Cooper Annex.

“I’m a little disappointed, but we knew we were playing a good team,” said Belpre boss Chad Williams, whose Eagles were 15 for 48 from the field. “They’re 15-0 in the league for a reason. They’re very well coached, and they’ve got a good program — and they’ve got six seniors.

“We play a couple of freshmen, a sophomore, and we’re young. These are learning experiences. That’s what I tell them. Plus, the season’s not over.”

Belpre opens up tournament play against South Gallia Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. at Meigs High.

“We’ve beaten South Gallia twice this season,” Williams said. “We know we can win that game. But we’ve got to play better than tonight.”

Welch (11) and McCutcheon (8) combined for 19 first-quarter points to stake Waterford to a 26-11 advantage. Godfrey scored six markers for the Golden Eagles.

In the second period, Welch still had the shooting touch with seven points, while Pottmeyer had six as the Wildcats stretched their lead to 46-29 at halftime.

Hilverding dialed long distance three times in the third, and the WHS lead bulged to 66-32. During the stanza, the Cats were eight of 11 from the floor, and at the end of the quarter, four Wildcats — Welch, Hilverding, McCutcheon and Pottmeyer — were all in double digits with the final period to go.

Meanwhile, Belpre couldn’t buy a bucket in the third as it went 0 of 14 from the floor. Its only points came on three fouls shots.

With Simms subbing freely in the fourth quarter, Waterford won going away.

“We’ve still got to perfect things,” Simms said. “We’ve got one more game before we get into the tournament.”

Waterford is slated to play a make-up game at Wahama Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

“Wahama’s a tough place to play,” Simms said.

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