Basketball Recap: Branson Lott's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Parkersburg Catholic over Ritchie County

Parkersburg Catholic was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their seventh straight defeat. They lost 70-50 to the Ritchie County Rebels. The Crusaders were not able to make up for their loss to the Rebels from their previous meeting back in February of 2024.

Several Crusaders players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Branson Lott, who posted 11 points and seven boards. Lott continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Carter Nelson, who earned 12 points.

It was another big night for Isaac Hodges, who dropped a double-double on 36 points and 16 rebounds for Ritchie County. Hodges is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last 22 games he's played dating back to last season. The team also got some help courtesy of Garrett Flesher, who had eight points along with seven assists and seven boards.

Parkersburg Catholic's defeat was their first in the region, dropping their region record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 3-11. As for Ritchie County, they pushed their record up to 7-5 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road.

Parkersburg Catholic wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next contest, a 66-57 win against Notre Dame on the 30th. As for Ritchie County, they have also already played their next game, a 63-50 loss against Doddridge County on the 30th.