It wasn’t anywhere near a thing of beauty. It also wasn’t what Bridgeport coach Mike Robey likely wanted to see in terms of intensity and execution for a team that had just suffered their first two losses of the season prior to this game.

 

What it was, however, was a win. And in a win or go home for the season scenario, there’s no one willing to give up this evening’s 66-57 victory over Grafton in the Class AA, Region II, Section 2 semifinal at the BHS gymnasium.

 

Thanks to the win, Bridgeport will play host to Robert C. Byrd in the sectional final Thursday at 7 p.m. The suddenly streaking Eagles continued their strong play by dominating a talented Lincoln squad by a 61-41 score in Clarksburg.

 

The victory moves Bridgeport to 20-2 on the year. It ends Grafton’s season at 13-8; a GHS team that came into tonight’s contest – according to WAJR’s Travis Jones – without Coach Andy Sorine. Although there were no details, Jones said that Sorine was dismissed as coach this morning of the Bearcats.

 

Whether the situation caused Grafton to play with a chip on its shoulder is unknown, but the contest was much different than the 66-43 pasting the Indians put on GHS less than a month ago. However, Bridgeport did just enough to keep the Bearcats at bay, but it wasn’t easy.

 

After jumping out to a 10-point lead at halftime, Bridgeport got itself into real trouble early in the third period. Grafton started the period on a 9-2 run to make the score 36-33 when Austin Newlon converted a conventional 3-point play.

 

It was after Newlon’s basket that Bridgeport put together what would prove to be the game’s decisive drive. A quick 8-0 run, highlighted by four points from Nick Greely, gave the Tribe some breathing room at 44-33. GHS managed to stay tight, but four free throws with 3.3 seconds – including two technical makes by Chase Robey – put Bridgeport up 54-42 going into the final eight minutes of action.

 

The final period of play proved to be somewhat anticlimactic. Incredibly, neither team was able to score on two straight possessions and traded points the entire final eight minutes. While that was good enough for the win, several of the easier baskets appeared to frustrate Robey who called a timeout after giving up a clean looking and successful 3-point bomb by Mitchel Crutchfield.

 

Even with the frustration, the win is big and guarantees at least two more games. The winner of Thursday’s game will host the loser of the Keyser-Frankfort Region II, Section 1 tournament. The loser of Thursday’s game at BHS will head to the panhandle to face the winner next week.

 

BHS got the win thanks to another strong offensive showing by John Wilfong. Wilfong led all scorers with 22 points, while Greely finished with 19. Robey and Dante Bonamico both chipped in with eight points.

 

Despite holding a 10-point lead at the break, it could have been much larger had the Indians converted on a higher percentage of their massive free throw advantage. The Indians outscored the Bearcats by a 14-3 count from the foul line, but it was the misses by the hosts that made the game much closer than it could have been.

 

Bridgeport missed nine free throws in that opening half. Grafton, meanwhile, was just 3-of-4 as the Indians paraded to the foul thanks to getting into the double bonus with 2:54 showing in the first period. The result of that saw a trio of Grafton players pick up three fouls in the first half.

 

Grafton kept the game close early as Newlon scored inside for his team’s first five points, while Crutchfield scored the next four as Bridgeport struggled out to an early 10-9 lead. Then, Greely controlled the rest of the opening period.

The 6’6 Bridgeport center scored seven straight points to put the hosts up 17-10. BHS was then in position to go up 19-11 after one period, but missed two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining. Fortunately for the Tribe, reserve Michael Lindsey snuck inside the GHS defense and put back the offensive rebounds for a 19-11 lead after one period.

 

Despite the lead, Grafton stayed within six points on three occasions early in the second period before Bridgeport appeared to take control of the game. With the score 23-17, BHS scored eight unanswered thanks to four Dante Bonamico free throws and two baskets by John Wilfong to go up 31-17 with 2:20 before halftime.

 

The Bearcats, however, didn’t fold. The guests closed the half on a 7-3 run to make it 34-24 with one half to play. The momentum carried over early into the second half before Bridgeport’s key 8-0 run in the third proved to be the difference.

 

Newlon led the Bearcats with 16 points. Zach Musgrove added 13, while Crutchfield finished with 11. Alan Smith served as the interim coach for Grafton.

 

Click HERE for a photo gallery from this evening's game by Ben Queen.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows John Wilfong battling inside, while a still under-the-weather Dante Bonamico takes to the basket in the middle picture. Chase Robey looks to take his man off the dribble in the bottom photo. Pictures by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com.