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Another Big Game Between West Lib And Jesuit Men

Photo provided by West Liberty Athletics West Liberty’s Devin Hoehn takes a shot against Wheeling Jesuit during the first matchup this season.

WHEELING — Jan. 19 was a classic in a Wheeling Jesuit-West Liberty men’s basketball rivalry that is filled with them. The teams get a chance to add to the lore at 4 today at the Alma Grace McDonough Center when they meet for the 152nd time in a rematch from the Hilltoppers’ earlier, 96-90, double-overtime victory.

”There’s been some great games with Wheeling Jesuit and that was definitely one of them,” WLU (25-2 overall, 19-2 Mountain East) coach Jim Crutchfield said Friday. ”I have lost count of how many good ones we have played.

”It’s a good environment. Normally when we play down there there is as at least as much black and gold in the crowd as there is red.”

The Cardinals (21-6, 15-6) are coming off a much-needed victory against Notre Dame on Thursday. They finally returned home — a place WJU holds an 11-1 record this season — after a grueling stretch that featured 6 of 7 on the road. Coach Danny Sancomb believes his club will have to play better today than it did against the Falcons.

”We’ve got to continue to do the things we do well,” Sancomb said. ”I think last time was a really good game. We’ve got to do the little things — make foul shots and make open shots when we get them.

”It will be a tough game to score. We’re going to have to be gritty and aggressive.”

No. 7 West Liberty, which has won four in a row since a loss to a red-hot Concord team that has won 6 of 7, saw all five starters score in double figures during the first meeting between the rivals. Dan Monteroso and David Dennis Jr. led the way with 17 apiece as the then-No. 4 Hilltoppers won a Top-10 battle against sixth-ranked Jesuit.

The status of Monteroso is a big story. He has missed the last three games after suffering a badly sprained ankle in practice. The junior transfer warmed up for Thursday’s 121-90 victory against Urbana, but a joint decision to sit out was made.

”That was not just my decision or the trainer’s decision, that was Dan’s too,” said Crutchfield, whose teams have wone 15 of 18 in the series. ”He is such a key player for your team and you want him to play because he wants to play in a big game.

”But we certainly don’t want to do any damage. We have conference and regional tournaments coming up.”

The clubs are continuing to position themselves for the MEC Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Charleston. The Cardinals are trying to hold off Shepherd for the No. 3 seed, while the Hilltoppers remain alive for the top seed. In addition to beating WJU, in order for that to happen league-leading Fairmont would also have to fall at home today against Shepherd.

”We’ve got a lot of respect for them as a team. We’re going to have to beat them. They very rarely give teams a game — maybe one or two the last six or seven years,” Sancomb said of WLU. ”It would give us some momentum, for sure.”

Crutchfield believes Monteroso, who averages 19 points per game on 65-percent shooting, should be in the conversation for MEC Player of the Year. The same, too, could be said of the Cardinals’ Haywood Highsmith, who has norms of 14.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

”You have guys like Highsmith, (Kyle) Ritz and (Pat) Moseh who have good size and skill,” Crutchfield said. ”We have to neutralize them.

”Zac (Grossenbacher) has to be a key factor on both ends of the court.”

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