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Ferry holds off Bellaire in closing moments

Photo/JOE LOVELL Martins Ferry’s Ruben Hilson, right, drives against Bellaire’s A.J. McCarthy during Friday night’s game inside the Tolbert Gymnasium.

MARTINS FERRY – It was no work of art but it was a win nonetheless.

Martins Ferry had its hands full with rival Bellaire until the final minute in garnering a hard-earned 54-48 triumph Friday night at Tolbert Gymnasium.

The win evened the Purple Riders at 2-2 on the season. Coach Derek Edwards’ charges visit Toronto Tuesday.

Bellaire, meanwhile, remains winless after three starts. The Big Reds of J.R. Battista play host to St. Clairsville the same evening.

Martins Ferry was nursing a seven-point lead with 90 seconds to play before Bellaire senior sharpshooter David Zwack buried his fourth trey of the game to bring the Big Reds to within 50-46.

A Jaizen Miles layup stretched the Purple lead to six. The Big Reds countered with a Jaiden Kesterson bucket to make it a 52-48 reading with 30 seconds showing.

Ferry senior guard Cody Olson meshed a free throw with 25 ticks showing, pushing the Purple to a five-point edge. After a Bellaire misfire from the floor, 6-7 junior Logan Smith netted another free throw to drop the curtain on the game’s scoring, securing the win for the hosts.

“We had a ton of good looks in the first half but could get anything to fall. We did a much better job of executing in the second half,” Edwards said. “We trailed much of the game but our kids hung in there. We did what we had to do down the stretch. It is always a good win against your rival.”

Smith and senior guard Dasyn Hores led the Ferry scoring with 15 points each. Ruben Hilson delivered nine points and a hefty dose of energy for the Purple Riders.

Senior Trenton Wilson turned in a solid performance for Bellaire, tallying a team-high 15 counters. Zwack netted 12 points while Andrew Littell chipped in with eight lightings.

“We are Bellaire. We don’t believe in moral victories. We played well enough to win but beat ouselves with self-inflicted wounds once again,” Battista offered. “In the end, give credit to Ferry, they killed us on the boards down the stretch. We couldn’t compete on the boards with them. Size is always a problem.

“We are getting better. We really are, but you want to get a victory so the kids see and believe in what you are trying to do,” he added. “What we are trying to do is what Bellaire has done for the past 30 years. The things my uncle (OVAC Hall of Famer Gene Ammirante) did. Once we stop making self-inflicted wounds, we will start seeing victories.”

Bellaire did play a solid first half.

The Big Reds emerged the first quarter with a 12-10 lead, getting four points from Wilson. Battista’s troops put together another quality second quarter, getting five more markers from Wilson, enabling the Reds to take a 22-18 advantage into intermission.

The Ferrians bounced back with a strong third period, as six Hores tallies and four from Miles staked to the Purple to a 32-30 edge entering the fourth period. It would be a lead Ferry would never relinquish.

Ferry committed 11 turnovers on the night. Bellaire was guilty of 15 miscues. The Big Reds hurt themselves with a 3-of-11 charity stripe showing.

The Purple Riders won the reserve contest, 47-34, as Ron Hill’s squad improved to 4-0. Peyton Hores led the young Purple with 17 counters while Jayden Grey netted 12.

Jayce Gallaher had 15 points for the Big Reds.

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