Beloit, OH - After suffering a tough opening-day loss, the West Branch boys basketball team was eager to get back in the win column, and what better way to do so than in their first conference game of the year against visiting Minerva.

The primary concern heading into the game was Minerva's ability to shoot the three-ball from deep. The Warriors came out strong, building an early lead. Cooper Anderson had a fast start, scoring 7 points in the first quarter, and the game appeared to be slipping away from the Lions, who trailed 16-10 at the end of the first.

Minerva responded in the second quarter, hitting five three-pointers as they tried to seize momentum. West Branch, however, kept pace, and the game was tied at 29-29 heading into the break.

Coming out of halftime, the game shifted in Minerva's favor. The Lions went on a big run and, at one point, held a 50-34 lead, fueled by their shooting from beyond the arc. West Branch trimmed the lead to just 10 points by the end of the third quarter.

Gavin Gregory had a strong fourth-quarter performance, but Minerva's free throw shooting proved too much to overcome. In the end, Minerva held on for a 67-56 win.

Scoring: Cooper Anderson led West Branch with 19 points, finishing an impressive 70% from the field. Gavin Gregory also scored in double figures, contributing 15 points to the effort. Once again, Jeremiah Thomas was held in check, scoring just 7 points as he was forced to work hard for every point he earned.

What's Next: With the loss, West Branch drops to 0-2 on the season. The Warriors will look to bounce back next Friday when they face EBC rival Marlington, with the game scheduled to tip off at 6:45 PM.