West Virginia High School boys basketball season began last week with the majority of teams in the state hitting the courts early in the week. A few, like Tyler Consolidated, started the season off with no recorded scores on the first night due to school cancellations, forcing them to reschedule and postpone games.

Both the Silver Knights of Consolidated and Paden City’s Wildcat boys did record complete games before the week was over however. Unfortunately, both are still looking for a plus mark in the in win column for the 2010/11 basketball season.

Wildcats

The Wildcats of Paden City started their season on the road in Wetzel County, traveling to Hundred to play on Dec. 7.

The ‘Cats came out on the short end of the 60-40 score, falling to a strong Hundred team.

Senior Zach Yost was the leading scorer for the Green and White with 22 points. Yost also collected three rebounds in the game, had two steals and three assists. Geoffrey Bidwell scored 10 points for the visitors, had one rebound, and one steal; Trey Leonard scored three, and pulled down six rebounds; Peyton Hinkley scored two points, was credited with one rebound and one steal; Jamie Billiter added two points, and had one rebound; Taylor Still added a point, pulled down five rebounds, and had one steal.

At Beallsville on Dec. 10, the ‘Cats fell to Beallsville, at Beallsville, 62-33. Yost again led all Wildcat scorers in the game with 18 points. He also collected eight rebounds, and had one steal. Geoffrey Bidwell added 11 points to the Paden City total, and was credited with two assists; Still scored four points, had two rebounds and a steal in the effort.

Billiter pulled down three rebounds, had one steal and two assists; John Bates had one rebound and one steal; Jefferson Palmer had one rebound; and Drew Bidwell was credited with a steal.

The Wildcats will host their annual Bob and Sharon Burton Christmas Tournament on Dec. 17 and 18, and on Dec. 21 the team will host the Hundred Hornets at Bob Burton Gymnasium.

Silver Knights

The Silver Knights of Tyler Consolidated opened up their season on the road at Weir on Dec. 10. While the Knights held their own with the Riders, they recorded their first lost of the season, 54-51, in a close battle.

“We were up by five in the second and had several opportunities to put them away, we just didn’t,” said head coach J.C. Kimble. “I think people thought we were going to get beat by 30 points, but we played right with them.”

“We couldn’t seem to knock down a jumper to save our lives, and we had our chances. We just didn’t get it done this time.”

The Knights had 15 turnovers which played into the end game results, but also out rebounded the Riders 33-28.

Senior Corey Lowe scored 26 points to lead Consolidated. Lowe also had four rebounds in the game. Zack Knowlton scored 12 points, had two rebounds, two assists and three steals; Boone Kehrer scored seven, pulled down 18 rebounds (nine offensive), had three assists and three steals; Hunter LeMasters scored two points and was credited with four rebounds; Darren Heintzman scored two points and Evan Cline scored two.

The junior varsity and freshman Knight teams each recorded wins.

Monday’s rescheduled game with Valley was cancelled due to school closings and will be rescheduled at a later date. On Tuesday the Silver Knights played host to Williamstown and will travel to Parkersburg Catholic on Friday.