DOWN THE LANE — Weir High’s Anthony Jeffers goes up for a shot attempt past Oak Glen’s Elijah Knisley, Noah Willey and Will Weekley during Friday night’s game. - Andrew Grimm

WEIRTON — There is still a lot of basketball left to be played, but Friday night’s rivalry match up with Oak Glen was a very important game for Weir High.

Coming in on a three-game skid and with its lowest two offensive outputs of the season in the last two of those games, the Red Riders had a team meeting and took some time to regroup before taking on the Golden Bears knowing they needed to respond.

Respond they certainly did.

After scoring just 23 Wednesday night at Indian Creek, the Red Riders broke the 70-point mark for just the third time this season and looked to be clicking on all cylinders in winning the rematch with the Golden Bears and avenging an opening night loss with a 71-44 victory.

“We had a really good practice (Thursday), the guys bought in and had a team meeting, we had a little thing over at Seven Ranges and I told them to forget everything in the past and live for right now and the guys did what we taught them,” Weir High head coach Anthony Santangello said. “It was a gut check night for us and the guys responded. We needed to come in locked in and ready to go and the guys really stepped up.”

The Red Riders (4-9) nearly surpassed their total from Wednesday in the first quarter — netting 20 points in the opening eight minutes — and never trailed after pulling ahead to an early lead.

Nine different players contributed on the scoresheet and all 12 to see the floor had at least a bucket, a rebound, an assist or a steal.

Damir Mowder led the charge with 18 points and six boards, while Anthony Jeffers tallied 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals and Ryant Lyons drained three triples to net 13 points with three rebounds and three assists.

“It was contributions from everyone, and that’s what we really stressed to them,” Santangello said. “We have to cheer for each other. We want to fill up that scoreboard and that’s what it takes to win — a lot of guys finding ways to contribute and finding their roles.”

After leading 20-13 at the end of the first quarter, the Red Riders pushed the advantage to 14 at the break at 35-21 and really took control for good with a 10-0 run to start the third quarter, leading by as many as 27 in the second half before both teams subbed out.

For the Golden Bears (4-10), it was an ninth-straight loss after a 4-1 start to the season.

“It hasn’t been our night for a few nights now,” Oak Glen head coach Jerry Everly said. “We’re just in a funk right now and can’t seem to get out of it. We’re trying, we’re just not playing good basketball right now and not applying the things we’re doing in practice in the game. It starts with me.

“We’ve lost our confidence. We’re a young team, and it doesn’t take much for a young team to lose confidence. When you lose it, it’s hard to get it back. We’re looking for a spark and we haven’t found it yet.”

Oak Glen was led by 10 points from Noah Willey, while Gavin Geisse tallied nine points, six rebounds and five assists.

UP NEXT

Oak Glen: Has another tough challenge Tuesday when they welcome 11-3 Toronto to the Bears Den.

Weir High: Will look to build off their momentum when East Liverpool comes to Weirton on Tuesday night.

Weir High 71, Oak Glen 44

OG 13-8-12-11 – 44

WH 20-15-19-17 – 71

OAK GLEN (4-10): Kell 1 1-2 3; Weekley 1 1-3 3; Willey 5 0-1 10; Geisse 3 3-4 9; Evans 1 0-0 2; Knisely 3 0-0 6; Hissam 2 0-0 4; Dawson 1 0-0 2; Ates 1 0-0 3; Hartung 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 19, 5-10; 44.

WEIR HIGH (4-9): Mowder 8 2-5 18; Glyptis 1 0-1 2; Jeffers 6 1-1 14; Horstman 3 0-0 6; Lyons 5 0-0 13; J. Kaczmarek 2 1-2 6; Stevenson 3 0-0 6; Douglas 0 0-0 0; E. Kaczmarek 0 0-0 0; McNeely 1 0-0 2; Lash 2 0-0 4; Haught 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 31, 4-9; 71.

3-POINTERS: Oak Glen 1 (Ates); Weir High 5 (Lyons 3, Jeffers, J. Kaczmarek). ASSISTS: OAK GLEN 17 (Geisse 5); Weir High 23 (Jeffers 6). REBOUNDS: Oak Glen 19 (Geisse 6); Weir High 25 (Jeffers 7). STEALS: Oak Glen 4 (Four with one); Weir High 5 (Jeffers 3). TURNOVERS: Oak Glen 15; Weir High 8.