By David Rogers. LENOIR, N.C. — Watauga’s varsity men’s basketball team left few questions unanswered on Feb. 7 in cruising to a dominating, 62-30 shellacking of Hibriten.
This contest was only close at the tipoff. The Pioneers head coach, Bryson Payne, was able to empty his bench in this one. A full dozen rostered players, including a double-rostered junior varsity player, put points in the scoring column against the Panthers. The broad number of student athletes who saw court action explains why only one Pioneer, forward Jace Blocker, got into double figures with 11 points.
With four freshmen elevated to Hibriten head coach Ronshad Shabazz’s varsity roster, the young Panthers were largely overmatched but continued to battle throughout. Most of the Watauga regular rotation players were sitting by the start of the final period, with the Boone boys sporting a 48-22 lead. All of the Pioneer scoring in the fourth quarter was by non-starters.
Now 15-6 overall and 6-2 in conference, Watauga is in a 3-way tie for No. 1 in league standings, with South Caldwell and Freedom. They split with the Spartans in January, losing in Hudson on Jan. 9 (64-76) after leading late in the game, then winning handily in the friendly confines of Lentz Eggers Gym in the Jan. 31 rematch, 80-61. Watauga prevailed, 77-70, against Freedom at home on Jan. 22, and will look to complete the season sweep on Feb. 11, in Morganton. The Pioneers close out the regular season on Feb. 14 vs. Ashe County. Both South Caldwell and Watauga are vying for the Northwestern Conference’s No. 1 seed as the state playoffs approach.
SCORING
- HIB – Tanner Baker (12 points)
- WAT – Jace Blocker (11)
- WAT – Cade Keller (9)
- WAT – Maddox Greene (8)
- WAT – Josiah Railey (8)
- WAT – Eli Bishop (8)
- HIB – Rob Beasley (5)
- WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (4)
- HIB – Julius Martin (4)
- WAT – Jackson Love (3)
- WAT – Logan Greene (3)
- HIB – Christian Reynolds (3)
- WAT – JT Cook (2)
- WAT – Wit Williamson (2)
- WAT – Kyle Williams (2)
- WAT – Landon Smith (2)
- HIB – Damarion Gaither-Walton (2)
- HIB – Dalton Settylemere (2)
