Watauga shooters

torch Rockets
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

When Watauga switched to a fast-paced offense, it was likely that the Pioneers would pile up some big numbers.

The most shocking number was not the 102 points they scored in their 102-89 victory over Northwestern 4-A Conference rival A.C. Reynolds at Lentz-Eggers Gym Tuesday night. Instead, the big number was 17, as in making 17 3-point baskets.

Official records were not available on the subject, but it is likely that 17 3-point shots in a school record at Watauga. It’s also surprising that just three players — Chad Eppley, Zach Greene and David Isaacs — were responsible, at least when it came to making the shots. Eppley knocked down seven treys on his way to scoring 25 points. Greene made six 3-point shots and led the Pioneers (9-11, 4-6 NWC) in scoring with 26 points.

Isaacs added four 3-point baskets, one more than what A.C. Reynolds (6-14, 2-9) made as a team, and finished with 17 points.

Will Watson, who hit all of his shots from inside the 3-point arc, added 10 points to the Watauga total, the most the Pioneers have scored since they beat Beaver Creek 104-25 during the 1997-98 season.

“I think the difference tonight, we were coming off a game at McDowell, where we shot 30 percent from the field and 14 percent from the 3-point line,” Pioneers coach Rob Sanders said. “We shot 35 threes against McDowell and made only five of them. Zach came out and caught fire early on and it gave me a good feeling that the jump shots would be there.”

Plenty of points were to be had by A.C. Reynolds, too. D.J. Clement led the way with a game-high 28 points, while two Rockets, Mark Montini and Kyle Payne, each added 14. Edge Warren scored 11 points in the first half, but got into foul trouble and finished with 13 points before fouling out.

“It’s really as close to a must win that you can have,” Sanders said. “In the standings, they are in the sixth spot behind us. They’re trying to catch us and we’re trying to catch everybody in front of us.”

Watauga took a 52-44 lead by halftime and then outscored Reynolds 24-14 in the third quarter to take a 76-58 lead the Rockets could not overcome. Watauga, leading 58-50 in the third, went on a 9-0 run to surge in front 67-50 in the third period.

Reynolds made a run at the Pioneers in the fourth quarter. Trailing 80-60, the Rockets went on a 10-2 run to pull to within 82-70. Reynolds pulled even closer, 95-85, but Eppley drained his final 3-pointer of the game to slam the door on any final Reynolds rally.

Watauga hosts East Burke Friday night.

“Our goal is to win out,” Sanders said. “We want to go into the conference tournament with a head of steam and maybe even move up from a four to a two seed. But you have to keep that in mind and play every game as if you’re playing to keep playing.”

Watauga 102, A.C. Reynolds 89
A.C. Reynolds (6-14, 2-9)
Jones 3 0-0 7, Marvals 1 3-4 5, Clement 12 2-3 28, Thomas 1 0-2 2, Montini 6 2-5 14, Payne 5 4-5 14, Ray 3 0-0 6, Warren 6 1-3 13, Brown 0 0-0 0. Totals 37 12-22 89.
Watauga (9-11, 4-6)
Fancher 3 0-0 6, Steury 1 0-0 2, Watson 5 0-0 10, Greene 9 2-2 26, Isaacs 4 5-6 17, Chiarolanzio 2 0-0 4, Newell 2 5-10 9, Eppley 9 0-0 25, Dale 1 1-2 3, Herndon 0 0-0 0, Moyer 0 0-0 0. Totals 36 13-20 102.
A.C. Reynolds 20 24 14 31 — 89
Watauga 28 24 24 26 — 102
3-point goals—A.C. Reynolds 3 (Clement 2, Jones 1), Watauga 17 (Eppley 7, Greene 6, Isaacs 4). Turnovers—A.C. Reynolds 19, Watauga 15. Total fouls—A.C. Reynolds 13, Watauga 15. Fouled out—A.C. Reynolds, Warren. Technical fouls—None.