Ohio boys claim 5th straight win over W.Va. in BACF game | News, Sports, Jobs

Photo by Jay W. Bennett
Marietta’s Tyler Kytta is defended by Wood County Christian’s Tyler Lanham and Ravenswood’s Ashton Miller during the 19th edition of the Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis Basketball Classic on Friday night at Parkersburg South’s Rod Oldham Athletic Center.

PARKERSBURG — The excitement of the girls’ Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis Basketball Classic must have rubbed off on the boys’ contest on Friday night inside Parkersburg South’s Rod Oldham Athletic Center.

Team West Virginia went into halftime up 49-48, and the tight nature of the game carried into the second half until Ohio MVP Colin Janes and company pulled away for the 116-101 victory.

The Morgan sharpshooter was followed by team captain Blake Guffey of Trimble, as they both carried the load with 24 points apiece.

With the win in his first BACF game, Ohio and Caldwell head coach Clint Crane was thankful for the opportunity.

“I just let them get out there and have some fun,” he said. “We wanted to sub them in and out to make sure they all had even playing time. They deserve that, to play in a game for a good cause and put that jersey back on to represent their schools. (Janes) is a really good player. I think he was a third team all-state selection. He rebounds the ball really well and can score at the rim as well as outside. This game is so unique. It’s for a cause that means something, and it has a good feel to it.”

In the loss, St. Marys’ Grant Barnhart snagged team MVP honors with a team-high 26 points. Just like the Ohio race for MVP, there was another player hot on his heels for the honor.

Barnhart splashed in a game-high six triples, but Parkersburg South’s Ashton Mooney matched him closely in the second half. Although team Ohio pulled ahead with a 33-20 run in the third, Mooney compiled a pair of his four triples in the second half.

He ended on 20 points for the night, as those two were the only West Virginia scorers in double-figures.

Joining MVP Janes and captain Guffey was Marietta’s Tyler Kytta with 18 on the night.

Even though his team didn’t come out on top, Barnhart was honored to play in the BACF game and earn MVP honors. He will play in the upcoming North-South All-Star game, as well.

“It feels good to have my dad coach me one more time and to play with two guys (teammates Waylon Moore and Brandon Lawhon) since I was about five years old,” he said. “That was really cool. It feels really good, because it feels like I contributed. Everything is going for a great cause with the Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis. People are born with a disadvantage, so it feels great to help out with that great cause.”

West Virginia and St. Marys Coach Mark Barnhart gave his thoughts on how Ohio pulled away and what the night meant for him.

“It was our second time as a coaching staff where we got to do that,” Barnhart said of his side’s involvement in the BACF game. “We’re very fortunate to be involved with this and to be with the kids. It’s a very worthy cause, and it’s a way for the kids to give back from where they’ve gotten so much in this world. They eventually wore us down, because they were so much more physical than us. Anybody who can look out on the court can see they were more physical than us, but with that being said, it was a great first half. Then in the third quarter, they got a little distance on us.”

Parkersburg’s Bryson Singer (who finished with six points) won the dunk contest, while Janes got the job done in the 3-point contest.