Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
LOGAN McCormick Ilderton scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to rally third-ranked Logan from an eight-point third quarter deficit and defeat second-ranked Williamstown, 64-57, in a battle of two of the top three teams in Class AA Saturday afternoon in the Willie Akers Classic at the Willie Akers Arena.
Logan trailed by eight points on four different occasions in the third quarter, and trialed 45-38 after three quarters, but Ilderton scored nine points, including a three-point play, in a 11-2 run that put the Wildcats ahead for good. He scored all his 21 points in the second half to help Logan remain unbeaten on the season.
The Wildcats are 8-0 and 4-0 against schools ranked in the West Virginia Associated Press high school boys basketball poll. The Yellowjackets, who were defeated by Class A No. 2 Tug Valley Friday night, lost for the second straight night and fell to 4-3.
Ilderton opened the fourth quarter with a driving layup and Zayden Sherod followed with a basket in the paint to pull Logan within three, 45-42.
Following a Williamstown basket, Ilderton ran off seven straight points, and gave Logan a 49-47 lead with his 3-point play.
A short jumper from Matt Hatfield put Logan up four, 51-47, but the Yellowjackets pulled with two points, 51-49, on a basket from Jayden Bryant.
Ilderton assisted on Lucas Lambert’s fifth 3-pointer, which put Logan out in front, 56-51, with 4:11 to play.
Twice the Yellowjackets cut a five-point deficit to three, the second coming with 2:32 to play when Wyatt Powell scored on a putback to make it 56-53, but Logan was able to work over a minute off the clock as Williamstown was forced to foul sending the Wildcats to the free throw line with 1:21 remaining.
Ilderton was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 1:21 to finish off the win.
Saturday’s contest pitted the top two scoring teams in Class AA and two of the top 10 scoring teams in the state.
Logan came into the contest averaging 75.1 points per contest, which was the best in Class AA and the state while Williamstown was second best in AA and 10th best in the state with an average of 68.7 points a game.
It looked as if Logan was well on its way to eclipsing its points per game average early in the first quarter. The Wildcats used an 9-2 run in the first quarter to jump out to a 10-point lead, 20-10, on Sherod’s basket.
Williamstown settled down and closed the gap to seven, 20-13, on the first three 3-pointers from Parker Schramm.
The Wildcat lead was seven after one quarter as the Yellowjackets continued to chip away at the early deficit by limiting Logan to just two second quarter field goals and five points to cut an early double-digit deficit to just one, 25-24, at halftime.
Schramm gave the Yellowjackets its first lead since the 5-4 early in the first quarter with a jumper with 7:31 remaining in the third.
The lead reached eight points, 33-25, when Jayden Bryant scored with 4:52 to play in the third before Sherod scored to bring the Wildcats within six points, 33-27, with 4:30 remaining ending an 11-0 Yellowjacket run.
Bryant, who led Williamstown with 23 points, scored 15 third quarter points to stake Williamstown to a 45-38 lead after three quarters.
Schramm had 13 points and Cruz Isaly finished with eight points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Yellowjackets.
Lambert finished with 17 points and made all five of Logan 3-point baskets while Sherod posted his second consecutive double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Ivan Miller had six points to go along with 11 rebounds for the Wildcats.
Logan is back in action Tuesday at Class AA No. 5 Wyoming East.
3. Logan 64, 2. Williamstown 57
2. Williamstown Yellowjackets (4-3)
Powell 1-2 0-0 2, Schramm 5-10 0-0 13, Joy 3-5 0-0 6, Bryant 8-12 6-12 23, Davis 0-1 0-0 0, Isaly 4-10 0-0 8, Keiser 2-5 0-0 4, Hill 0-2 1-2 1. Totals: 23-48 7-14 57.
3. Logan Wildcats (8-0)
Sanders 0-2 0-0 0, Hatfield 1-7 0-0 2, Sherod 7-10 2-4 16, Green 0-3 0-0 0,
Lambert 6-11 0-2 17, Williamson 1-3 0-0 2, Miller 3-8 0-0 6, Ilderton 7-13 7-8 21.
Totals: 25-57 9-14 64.
Williamstown 13 11 21 12- 57
Logan 20 5 13 26
3-point field goals_Williamstown 4-16 (Powell 0-1, Schramm 3-7, Bryant 1-3, Isaly 0-2, Keiser 0-2, Hill 0-1), Logan 5-18 (Sanders 0-2, Hatfield 0-6, Green 0-1, Lambert 5-8, Ilderton 0-1). Fouled out_None. Rebounds_Williamstown 24 (Islay 9), Logan 30 (Sherod 14). Assists_Williamstown 11 (Islay 8), Logan 11 (Ilderton 5). Total fouls_Williamstown 19, Logan 11. Technicals_None.