Wes Briggs' Clutch 3 Gives Wellston 69-62 Win Over Vinton County

On senior night at Wellston High School, Wes Briggs poured in 33 points and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute as Wellston beat Vinton County 69-62 in a Tri-Valley Conference Ohio Division game. The victory came after a late Vinton County surge that briefly gave the Vikings their only lead of the night.

Wellston jumped ahead early by using dominant play in the paint, building a lead as large as 12 points before halftime. Coming out of the half the Vikings chipped away, and Vinton County was only down six after the third quarter. The scoreboard read 52-46 entering the fourth quarter, setting up a tense finish.

Vinton County pushed the pace in the fourth and tied the game at 58 with about three minutes remaining. The Vikings then grabbed their lone lead on a two-point basket, going up 62-60 with roughly one minute and 30 seconds left. Fouls hurt the Vikings’ momentum late, and Briggs answered with his clutch three in the final minute that swung the game back in Wellston’s favor and helped seal the 69-62 final.

Josh Montgomery led Vinton County with 24 points; his movement and footwork drew praise from head coach NJ Kight. “He just knows how to play basketball. He can score in different ways, he can shoot, he can get to the basket, he’s smart and he uses his good footwork,” Kight said after the matchup. Wellston’s win featured Briggs’ accurate shooting and physical play inside, with game coverage noting he “was trouble in the paint.”

The result keeps Wellston competitive in the TVC-Ohio race as the regular season winds down. Vinton County is scheduled to play McClain on Saturday night, while Wellston’s next matchup is against Athens on Tuesday. Those upcoming games loom large for both rosters as they jockey for postseason positioning within the division.

The night’s senior recognition added extra weight to Briggs’ performance; teammates and fans saw a 33-point outburst and a last-minute shot that matched the occasion. With Montgomery’s 24 and Briggs’ late heroics, the game underscored how single-player bursts and late-game discipline can decide close conference contests.