Anderson scores 1,000 career points
The Paden City varsity boys basketball team ended their regular season last week and moved on to Sectional play over the weekend.
On Feb. 23, the team played host to Wood County Christian in the consolation round of the Bob and Sharon Burton Holiday Classic at home.
Months after being forced to cancel the last leg of the tournament due to bad weather, the two teams finally got it in, but unfortunately, the home team took the loss, 50-41.
The highlight of the game for the Green and White though came in the third period when senior Malakai Anderson drained a three-pointer in the second quarter of play to hit the 1,000 point plateau of his career, all in a Wildcat uniform.
The teams were closely matched, and stayed even throughout the game, until the third period when the Wood County school jumped ahead with a slight lead.
The loss put the ‘Cats season record at 4-15 on the year.
Senior Josh Bennett led Paden City in the scoring dept., totaling 13 for the night.
Anderson added 11 points; Zach Yost scored 11; and Peyton Hinkley chipped in six.
The ‘Cats traveled to Ritchie County on Saturday for the first round of Sectional play with Gilmer County.
Gilmer was ready and waiting and had the Wildcats on the ropes, 13-5 at the end of the first period. Paden City showed improvement in the second though and added 14 points in the second period to put the score at 25-19 at the half, with Gilmer in the lead.
The third quarter gave the Green and White some trouble with the team only able to manage eight points on the scoreboard, but just as they got heated up in the fourth, the game was over with the Titans pocketing the win, 49-38.
Both teams had trouble holding onto the ball in this game, with the Wildcats having 18 turnovers and Gilmer, 16.
Zach Yost was the main point getter for Paden City, scoring 14 to lead the team. Senior Malakai Anderson scored 13 points, followed by Josh Bennett with six; Peyton Hinkley, three; and Taylor Still, two.
Hinkley led the Green in rebounds with 10, and Anderson in assists, with five.
Bennett and Anderson each had two steals a piece in the game.