CJ Ward soared toward the rim, and for a split second, the entire gym seemed to freeze. His put-back dunk rattled the backboard, set the Schreiner bench into a frenzy, and stunned the Dallas crowd. In that one play, Ward gave the Mountaineers their first lead of the night and punctuated a comeback that had looked impossible minutes earlier.
That highlight bucket was the tipping point in what became a 78-75 Schreiner road victory after trailing by as many as 20 points in the second half. The Mountaineers deployed a relentless full-court man-to-man press that generated enough turnovers—16 in total—to chip away at Dallas’s double-digit cushion. The Mountaineers generated crucial steals from players like Dylan Mackey (four steals) and Ward, which led to fast-break points and second-chance opportunities. That pressure knocked the Crusaders out of their early rhythm; they had shot 55% from three and built a comfortable lead behind Thomas Fleming (17 points), Terrence Bryant (17), and Jack Boyle (14 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists)
The biggest storyline—aside from the furious rally—was the inside presence of Kamden Ross, who poured in 33 points on an efficient 15-of-23 from the field. Ross consistently challenged Dallas’s frontcourt, putting Boyle in foul trouble and forcing the Crusaders to scramble defensively. Ross also grabbed nine rebounds, several of them on the offensive glass, keeping possessions alive and fueling the comeback. Dylan Mackey added 18 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Beau Cervantes contributed eight points and a team-high five assists. CJ Ward finished with 10 points, none bigger than his late-game slam that tilted momentum in Schreiner’s favor…