BECKLEY — Valley and Moorefield didn't just change sides of the floor at halftime.

What had worked for Valley in the first half, as it led by as many as 13 points, suddenly began working for Moorefield.

Suddenly, it was the Yellow Jackets who were getting the rebounds and running the floor.

And it was the Greyhounds who were making turnover after turnover and missing easy shots as they fell 68-59 Wednesday in the Class A consolation game of the Big Atlantic Classic at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.

“The main thing we talked about at halftime was we weren't making shots, and we wanted to start taking the ball to the basket more,” Moorefield coach Patrick MacGregor said.

Valley (9-4), which had forced the Yellow Jackets into nine first-half turnovers and 12 of 33 shooting, went ice-cold from the floor in the second half.

The Greyhounds made just 8 of 28 shots in the final two quarters, as a 33-27 halftime lead faded away.

“We missed a lot of high-percentage shots inside,” coach Joe McCoy said. “That's been one of our problems We miss easy shots and our foul shooting isn't as strong as it should be.”

Valley was 17 of 25 at the free throw line but made just 3 of 8 foul shots in the last four and a half minutes.

Even worse, the Greyhounds threw the ball away 13 times, and allowed Moorefield to get its fast break going.

The Yellow Jackets took their first lead with 3:28 remaining and never relinquished it.

Valley's biggest lead was 13 points, 33-20, late in the second quarter. A 7-0 run at the end narrowed the gap by the break.

“We hadn't seen them play before, so we didn't anticipate them sneaking out and getting in transition as much as they did,” McGregor said. “We had to make adjustments at halftime.

“We knew if we rebounded more, we could run on them because they liked to cheat up and try to steal the rebound. I don't think they got any (transition baskets) in the second half.”

Garrett Keller led Moorefield (7-7) with 18 points. He had just seven in the first half.

Jared Kite added 13 points, while Dakota Vetter and Lance Taylor scored 11 apiece. Taylor also had 10 rebounds, and Kite made six assists.

Valley also had a balanced attack, led by Raeshawn Breckenridge with 15 points, Arik McGinnis with 14 and Druw Bowen and Henry Barron with 10 apiece.

Breckenridge also had 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals. McGinnis chipped in five assists, and Zac Warden blocked three shots.

It was Valley's fourth game in five days.

“We're young. We have just one senior (McGinnis),” McCoy said. “We just have to step up in certain situations. Most of the games we've lost have been close like this.”

The Greyhounds will host Greenbrier West Friday in the HIT tournament.

— E-mail:dstillwell

@register-herald.com



Moorefield (7-7)

Dakota Vetter 4-6 2-2 11, Garrett Keller 6-18 4-4 18, Jared Kite 4-9 5-6 13, Adam Snyder 4-8 0-6 8, Lance Taylor 5-11 1-1 11, Aaron Cole 2-6 0-0 4, Austin Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Jackie Burton 1-4 0-0 3. Totals: 26-62 12-19 68.

 Valley (9-4)

Drew Jones 0-0 12 1, Raeshawn Breckenridge 6-13 3-5 15, Zac Warden 2-6 2-2 6, Arik McGinnis 3-8 8-10 14, Druw Bowen 5-9 0-0 10, Henry Barron 4-12 2-4 10, Keyshawn Payne 0-0 0-0 0, Cody Winter 1-4 0-0 2, Dante Wilkerson 0-2 1-2 1. Totals: 21-54 17-25 59.

M    11    16    15    26    —    68

V    15    18    11    15    —    59

Three-point goals: M 4 (Vetter 1, Keller 2, Burton 1), V none. Fouled out: M: Snyder; V McGinnis.