Will Smith's big game leads West Canada Valley to win in boys basketball opener
NEWPORT – Will Smith scored 39 points and pulled down 20 rebounds to start his senior season Thursday while leading the West Canada Valley boys to a 79-64 basketball victory over Mt. Markham’s Mustangs.
Smith and the Indians (1-0) outscored the Mustangs (0-2) 20-9 in the second quarter and opened a 14-point halftime lead. Smith scored 13 of West Canada Valley’s 19 points in the first quarter, and scoring evened out in the second when Smith and Brayden Shepardson each had six points and Camerohn Ludwig scored five.
The Indians came back with 26 points in the third quarter and led by as many as 29 in the second half.
Shepardson hit six of West Canada Valley’s 12 three-pointers and finished with 20 points and nine assists while Ludwig, a sophomore making his first varsity start, added three threes and had 11 points and five assists.
Will Lunny led Mt. Markham with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Bryce Lynch scored 11 points, Jacob Senko added 10, and Ethan Siega had nine points and 10 rebounds.
West Canada Valley plays at Unatego Saturday afternoon and returns home for Tuesday’s game against Westmoreland. The Mustangs play their home opener Tuesday against Sherburne-Earlville.
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WEST CANADA VALLEY 79, MT. MARKHAM 64
MT. MARKHAM (0-2) – Ryan Denton 0 2-4 2; Derrick Edmondson III 0 0-0 0; Charles Hilts III 0 0-0 0; Kevin Gates 2 0-0 4; Jordan Dietz 0 4-6 4; Bryce Lynch 3 3-5 11; Will Lunny Jr 6 5-6 18; Jacob Senko 2 6-8 10; Ethan Siega 3 2-3 9; Griffin Doyle 1 0-0 3; Mason Beigh 0 0-0 0; Benjamin Lohmann 1 0-0 3. Totals: 18 22-32 64.
WEST CANADA VALLEY (1-0) – Brayden Shepardson 7 0-1 20; Will Smith 17 4-7 39; Azriel Diaz 0 0-0 0; Connor Yager 1 0-0 3; Kolby Weakley 1 0-0 3; Dominick Coriale 0 0-0 0; Lonzo Passage 0 0-0 0; Michael Tubia Jr 1 1-1 3; Brandon Gates 0 0-0 0; Camerohn Ludwig 4 0-0 11; Benjamin Conover 0 0-0 0. Totals: 31 5-9 79.
Mt. Markham 16 9 13 26 – 64.
West Canada Valley 19 20 26 14 – 79
Three-pointers – Mt. Markham 6 (Lynch 2, Doyle 1, Lohmann 1, Lunny 1, Siega 1); West Canada Valley 12 (Shepardson 6, Ludwig 3, Smith 1, Weakley 1, Yager 1).
Jon Rathbun is a sportswriter for the Times Telegram. Email Jon at sports@timestelegram.com.
This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: West Canada Valley gets big basketball win behind Will Smith's big game
