EDITOR'S NOTE: According to Bridgeport High School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Matt DeMotto, tonight's BHS-RCB game has been postponed due to school cancelation. DeMotto confirmed that the varsity game will be played tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m. and the junior varsity game will be played at 5:45 p.m. in Clarksburg at RCB High School.

 

Bridgeport Coach Mike Robey isn’t big into moral victories. He’d rather have the real kind like he got this past Monday at East Fairmont.

 

Robey would also prefer to get one this evening when the Indians take on Robert C. Byrd in Clarksburg. If he was into moral victories he may have been able to put one into that column a week ago when the Tribe visited Morgantown to take on University.

 

The Hawks, ranked at nor near the top of Class AAA all season, seemed like they would be ripe to blowout the Indians. After all, Bridgeport’s home venture against Class AA No. 1 Fairmont Senior didn’t go to well in a 91-47 setback.

 

This, however, wasn’t a Polar Bear squad that Robey said he believed was the best team in the state regardless of classification. And it wasn’t the same Bridgeport squad heading north that floundered after a competitive first period against the Bears.

 

Instead, Bridgeport went to UHS and nearly pulled off the upset. The Tribe ended up losing 61-59 as a last second 3-point attempt by John Ross Mazza was off the mark.

 

Even more impressive is Bridgeport stayed in the game without Brayden Lesher. Lesher, one of the Indians’ senior starters, was out due to being sick.

 

“I’m definitely not a moral victory guy at all, but I felt really good about the effort and I personally thought we should have won the game or be in a position to win the game at the end,” said Robey.

 

The game never had the markings of a classic, at least not early on. Bridgeport was behind 22-8 and it appeared the route was on. However, the Indians found their rhythm and by halftime were down 34-27.

 

“We began to play better defense and we picked up things offensively as well,” said Robey. “You just can’t be passive and we were early in the game.”

 

Bridgeport eventually drew even in the third period at 41, but continually found itself battling back. In the end, they couldn’t overcome the final deficit and fell.

 

Two days later, Bridgeport went on the road and got a win at East Fairmont by a 58-55 score. BHS again overcame early doldrums, but this time found the victory column.

 

 The Indians were down 19-9 after one period of play before bouncing back with a strong second quarter. In fact, the Indians turned a 10-point deficit into a 29-29 score at the intermission. 

 

The game would be played on even terms from that point forward. The Indians outscored the Bees by three points in the third period, which proved to be the difference in the game. Robey also said his team deciding to attack the pressure of the Bees was also the difference.

 

“Our mentality was to score and attack off of them pressuring us so much. We adjusted and it turned into a solid road win for us,” said Robey.

 

Lesher returned from his illness to score 15 points. Tanner Bifano added 13and Jake Bowen finished with 10.

 

BHS is back on the road again tonight. The 13-5 Indians will face the red-hot Robert C. Byrd Eagles in Clarksburg. RCB has won five in a row and eight of its last nine and are 11-6 on the year.

 

Bridgeport won the initial game of the year at BHS. The Tribe took home a 58-57 victory.

 

“It’s a big game as it always is, but Byrd and Bridgeport is big whether it’s for the state championship or if it was a preseason scrimmage,” said Robey. “I know the rivalry is there, but we can’t treat this game any more important to us than any other game other than it’s important because it’s our next game.”

 

The game could have an impact on sectional seeding. Bridgeport could lock up a No. 1 seed with a win, but Robey said that he can’t worry about it.

 

“You don’t want to think about that even though a win would solidify things for us. We have to be about the next game on our schedule no matter what and not think about anything beyond that because when it comes to the seeding I can’t control how any other coach will vote in the section or worry about if the other side of the section knows who has played who and other factors,” said Robey. “There’s no need to focus on things you can’t control so focus on what’s next. Next for us is Robert C. Byrd.”

 

The Eagles will bring a talented starting five into the game of point guard Tanner Kennedy and fellow guards Brice Roseborough and Gavin Kennedy. Khori Miles will man the forward spot, while Tre Junkins gets the start at center. Roseborough and Junkins are the only seniors in the starting lineup.

 

BHS will counter with a tentative starting lineup of point guard Blake Bowers and guard Adam Bentz. Lesher is the swing man and team’s leading scorer, while Bowen is the Tribe’s blue collar player on the inside. Tanner Bifano will get the start at center. Robey generally uses 10 players. Bentz and Lesher are both seniors.

 

The action will begin at 7:30 p.m.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Jake Bowen looking to go up against the Robert C. Byrd defense, while Brayden Lesher gets off a shot in the bottom picture. Photos by Joey Signorelli of www.bennqueenphotography.com.