The Recorder on January 29, 2026
Luke Turner and Elijah Good go head-tohead for the ball during the opening tipoff. (Recorder photos by David Cockerham)
MONTEREY — The big three put up big numbers in a big win for Highland’s boys’ basketball team here last Thursday.
Zach Armstrong, Elijah Good and Patton Hull combined for 53 points, leading the Rams to a 60-28 Pioneer District victory over Bath County.
The hosts led 23-16 at the halftime break, but used their press to force 13 Charger third-quarter turnovers and end the period on a 20-4 run for a 49-24 lead.
“We talked about it at halftime, that we had to put more effort out,” said HHS coach Cole Armstrong. “The guys came out in the third quarter with that press and it was lights out.”
Zach Armstrong had 14 of his game-high 25 points in the third quarter, while Patton Hull added eight of his 14. Good, the third member of the senior trio, pulled in seven rebounds and dropped off two assists in the period where the Rams outscored their guests, 26-8.
Highland, which had lost five in a row until knocking off Pocahontas County on Jan. 17, improved to 9-5 with the win, 2-4 in the Pioneer District.
Bath’s Nate Turner fires a jump shot as Levi Warner defends for the Rams last Thursday.
“The guys put the effort in, day in and day out,” Armstrong said. “We need those three, our three seniors, we need them every night. They’ve got to show up. If one of them doesn’t have a good night, we struggle. All three of them did a great job (tonight). Hopefully, we can keep it going a little bit.”
Armstrong scored 25 points, while adding 11 rebounds, seven steals and six assists. Good had 14 points and 15 boards, Hull scored 14 points and had four assists, and sophomore Levi Warner had five points to go with eight rebounds for Highland.
The connection between Armstrong, Good and Hull started years ago and has flourished not only on the basketball court, but the baseball diamond.
“We’ve been playing baseball together since we were tiny,” Good said. “We’ve been playing basketball from Bobcats up — that’s like third grade to now. It’s a very special connection. To play together that long, it means a lot. I feel like sometimes we kind of work together and coordinate — we kind of read each other’s minds. It’s great to play with guys that long. It’s pretty amazing.”
Zach Armstrong (3) draws a foul against Bath’s Luke Turner (1).
The Chargers battled back late in the second quarter with a 6-2 mini-run to end the half, capped by a Luke Turner basket.
But after the Turner brothers — Luke and Nate — scored early in the third, Bath County managed just eight points over the final 13 minutes of the game.
“We haven’t really struggled with the press this year,” said BCHS coach Clinton Cauley. “We had one starter out tonight, he didn’t get a lot of minutes. Our focus was just not there.”
Luke Turner had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Chargers, Nate Turner had seven points and seven rebounds and Cade Perdue added seven points. Both Turners and Michael Keyes fouled out in the fourth quarter.
Bath County, 1-6 in the Pioneer and 3-13 overall after a Friday loss to Pocahontas County, had a scheduled trip to Narrows on Tuesday postponed. The Chargers host Craig County next Tuesday.
Highland had a game at Parry McCluer on Tuesday postponed. They are scheduled to go to Narrows tonight.
Last Thursday’s boxscore
• Bath County (28): Luke Turner 14, Miguel Rosado 0, Parker Cauley 0, Akio Long 0, Nate Turner 7, Cade Perdue 7, Jeffrey Hamilton 0, Owen Perdue 0, Tommy Burke 0, Michael Keyes 0, Bryer Nicely 0
• Highland (60): Zach Armstrong 25, Patton Hull 14, Elijah Good 14, Levi Warner 5, Preston Jaccard 0, Chase Lupo 0, Owen Honaker 2, Matthew Wigal 0, Karl Sax 0
• Halftime: HHS 23, BCHS 16
• 3-point goals: BCHS 2 (L. Turner 1, C. Perdue 1); HHS 5 (Armstrong 3, Hull 1, Warner 1)