WHEELING, W.Va. – The Davis & Elkins College men's basketball team saw its season come to a close on Friday night, falling 102-77 to top-seeded and nationally-ranked No. 5 West Liberty in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Quarterfinals at WesBanco Arena.
The Senators (12-18) refused to go down without a fight, playing with intensity throughout the contest against a Hilltoppers team that has been a dominant force all season. After a slow start, D&E found its rhythm in the second half, putting up 49 points, but West Liberty's high-powered offense proved too much to overcome.
Senior Charleston Ponds led the way for the Senators, pouring in 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers. He also grabbed nine rebounds, nearly finishing with a double-double in his final collegiate game. Reflecting on the game, Ponds expressed his pride in the team's effort. "I was just trying to tell my guys, stick with it, just stay together, don't give up on each other," Ponds said. "That's all I was asking for, this is my last game, I was just telling them… just keep fighting. I feel like we did that. That's all I could ask for."
Isaiah Buckley and Nicolas Silva each contributed 15 points for Davis & Elkins, with Silva securing a double-double by pulling down 12 rebounds. Kerem Sariaslan provided a spark off the bench, knocking down two three-pointers and finishing with 10 points. Emmanuel Oladeru added nine rebounds while chipping in eight points in the post.
Davis & Elkins had to battle West Liberty's relentless full-court pressure, which resulted in 22 turnovers. The Hilltoppers capitalized with 28 points off turnovers and dominated in transition, outscoring D&E 28-16 on fast breaks.
Despite the loss, head coach Dan Harris was proud of his team's resilience and heart. "Our guys played really hard, they didn't quit. And as a coach, that's all you can ask for," Harris said. "I'm really proud of our seniors. That's such a special group, I'm just so proud of that class to finish how they did, they went down swinging."
D&E finished the game shooting 40.3% (25-for-62) from the field and 35.7% (5-for-14) from beyond the arc. The Senators held their own on the glass, outrebounding West Liberty 50-41, but the Hilltoppers' three-point shooting—hitting 16 triples on 43 attempts—proved to be a decisive factor.
With the season now concluded, the Senators will look to build on this experience and come back stronger next year. For the senior class, their legacy remains in the fight they showed on the court and the leadership they provided off it.
