Pioneers blast Avery Vikings

By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

It seems that all Watauga needed was a little R&R Thursday night.

After playing road games Tuesday and Wednesday (both losses), the Pioneers needed a little rest, according to coach Rob Sanders. The day off Watauga High students received because of the bad weather Thursday morning did the trick.

Rested and refocused, the Pioneers blasted rival Avery 84-58 in a game that never seemed that close. Watauga, already leading by 11 at the end of the first quarter, outscored the Vikings 29-9 in the second to take a 50-19 halftime lead.

“Being out of school was a real blessing for us,” Sanders said. “It gave us a chance to sleep and let our kids get their legs back underneath them. We had a lot of time during the day to meet and watch film and talk about stuff and really put to them by saying that if we can’t get past the ‘Me’ syndrome and realize that we’re all in this together and that we’re going to sink or swim as one unit, we’re going to do a lot of failing this year.”

There were no signs of failure Thursday night. Every Pioneer who walked on to the court scored at least two points. Two Pioneers, Ethan Moyer and Jeff Newell, scored 14 each. Ian Dale added 13. Newell also pulled down 10 rebounds.

Moyer was central to a blistering 17-8 run in the second quarter by knocking down three straight 3-pointers. Dale added an inside basket to cap the run and give Watauga a 38-17 lead.

After Avery’s Cole Blackburn hit a foul shot, Watauga closed out the second quarter with a 10-1 run, capped by a Newell basket with five seconds in the half and giving the Pioneers a 50-19 lead. Watauga also grabbed 18 rebounds in the quarter and outrebounded the Vikings 39-23 for the game.

“We knew coming into tonight the last two games the biggest thing we had not done was finish people,” Sanders said. “We’ve gotten into situations and weren't able to seal the deal at the end of the game. That was something we wanted to fix tonight.”

The game was originally scheduled for Friday night, but it was moved because of Appalachian State’s playoff game with Richmond was moved from Saturday to Friday. It may have led to more spectators at Lentz-Eggers Gym, but it meant the Pioneers were forced to play three games in three days.
Watauga lost to Ashe County Tuesday and fell to West Caldwell after blowing a 10-point lead and by not scoring a point in the final 4:52 of the game. Sanders felt that the Pioneers had to go back to enjoying the game again to start finding some success.

“We told them before the game to go back to when they were a kid and you just went out in the yard and played in the driveway and it’s the most fun you’ve ever had,” Sanders said. “That’s the type of passion we needed to play with. We need it for the game and for the man sitting beside us.”
Will Watson, Zach Greene and Adam Chiarolanzio each added eight points for the Pioneers. David Isaacs scored seven and Chad Eppley chipped in six.

Dustin Clark, who drained five 3-pointers, led Avery in scoring with 21 points. Kyle Cable added eight for the Vikings. Avery did not help itself by making just 3-of-15 foul shots. Watauga hit 12-of-21.

Watauga 84, Avery 58
Avery
Pittman 2 0-0 5, Blalock 2 0-1 4, Phillips 2 0-0 5, Potter 2 0-0 4, Cable 4 0-2 8, Blackburn 0 1-4 1, Clark 8 0-2 21, Jennings 2 1-2 5, Lecka 2 1-4 5, Childers 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 3-15 58.
Watauga (3-3)
Fancher 1 2-2 4, Steury 1 0-1 2, Watson 4 0-0 8, Greene 2 2-2 8, Moyer 5 0-0 14, Isaacs 3 1-1 7 Chiarolanzio 3 2-6 8, Newell 6 2-5 14, Eppley 3 0-0 6, Dale 5 3-4 13. Totals 33 12-21 84.
Avery 10 9 21 18 — 58
Watauga 21 29 21 13 — 84
3-point goals—Avery 7 (Clark 5, Phillips, Pittman), Watauga 6 (Myer 4, Greene 2). Rebounds—Avery 23 (Phillips 4), Watauga 39 (Newell 10). Turnovers—Avery 18, Watauga 18. Total fouls—Avery 19, Watauga 13. Fouled out—None. Technical fouls—Avery 1 (Six players on the court).