Tucker County pulled off a statement win in the opening game of the 2026 WVSSAC Boys Basketball State Tournament, knocking off No. 3 seed Huntington St. Joseph Central in a tightly contested Class A quarterfinal inside the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.

The Mountain Lions jumped out early behind Jonathan Black, building a 10-5 advantage in the first quarter. Huntington St. Joseph Central responded with a strong push led by Micaiah Ervin, who helped cut the deficit to three.

Tucker County maintained control early, with Caden Arnold and Xander Lambert helping extend the lead to seven in the second quarter. But the Irish answered with a 10-0 run capped by Brayden McDowell, sending the game into halftime tied at 23-23.

The second half turned into a battle of runs. Isaiah Sanders led all scorers with 22 points and gave St. Joseph Central the lead early in the third, but Tucker County responded immediately. Carson Dearborn delivered a key three-point play, while Mikey Mitchell added 12 points to keep the Mountain Lions in front.

In the fourth quarter, Tucker County created separation behind Dearborn’s scoring and timely contributions from Sam Marks and Ethan Cummings. Despite a late push from Grady Painter, Tucker County held on for a 59-57 victory.

With the win, Tucker County advances to the semifinals where they will face the winner of Tug Valley vs Ritchie County.