Parkersburg South’s Emilee Owens (10) places up Fairland’s Bailey Russell defends throughout Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Morrison)
PARKERSBURG – Proper place. Proper time. Proper individual.
The fourth and ultimate 3-pointer knocked down by Parkersburg South senior Emilee Owens on the health club flooring she known as residence for 4 years turned out to be the game-winner as Team West Virginia pulled out a 79-75, double-overtime victory over Team Ohio in the Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis Basket Classic, Friday inside Rod Oldham Athletic Center.
Owens, who led the Patriots to a Class AAAA runner-up end on the state basketball match earlier this month, scored a game-high 16 factors and was chosen because the Most Valuable Player for Team West Virginia.
Owens’ 3-pointer with 2:25 remaining in the second extra time put West Virginia in entrance 78-75.
“I thought my last game was going to be at the Charleston Civic Center, so to have one more game on my home floor and be the MVP, that’s great,” Owens mentioned.
Fairland’s Addison Godby holds the ball as Williamstown’s Arissa Burt (30) and Parkersburg South’s Tae Richards defend throughout Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Morrison)
On the Team Ohio sidelines, the Fairland duo of Addison Godby and Bailey Russell offered the spark which erased a 21-point, second-quarter deficit. Godby, who completed with 13 factors and 15 rebounds, made a vicious spin transfer close to the submit with 40 seconds remaining in regulation and transformed the bucket to ship the sport into a primary extra time tied at 72.
While Godby earned Most Valuable Player honors for her group, Russell additionally had an affect along with her presence after scoring 12 of her 14 factors after halftime.
“Bailey and I have been best friends our whole life — it was really cool to play with her one last time,” Godby mentioned. “I also had a lot of fun meeting some of the new girls and playing in an event like this.”
Both overtimes consisted of operating clocks — the primary OT set for 5 minutes and the second OT for 3 minutes. Russell made one in every of two free throws to place Ohio in entrance 73-72 halfway by the primary additional session.
With the clock below a minute, Greenbrier West’s Kennedy Stewart made a 3-pointer. On the following possession, a foul despatched Belpre’s Chey Parsons to the road for 2 free throws. The Golden Eagle sank the primary and with the clock persevering with to maneuver, group Ohio coach Heather Saliba used a timeout with 4.0 exhibiting.
Belpre’s Chey Parsons goes up for a basket as Parkersburg’s Lucie Cline, left, and Kenslee Lemasters look on throughout Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Morrison)
The transient pause in motion didn’t faze Parsons as she made the second free throw.
As if the West Virginia gamers had been taking part in collectively for a lifetime, they ran the out of bounds play nearly to perfection as a number of passes ultimately discovered Stewart on the other aspect of halfcourt. Her toss, nevertheless, hit arduous off the backboard with out discovering any a part of the rim.
West Virginia pitched a shutout in the second extra time. Owens’ 3-pointer was later adopted by a made free throw by Williamstown’s Arissa Burt at 18 seconds. After the make, the clock went into movement and Ohio was left with a desperation heavy by Godby deep past the arc.
Parkersburg’s Lucie Cline loved a monster sport with 11 factors and 14 rebounds. A complete of 5 Big Reds performed their farewell sport for group West Virginia and Parkersburg girls basketball coach Chris Murray.
“It was fun for the girls – it was just a good environment,” Murray mentioned. “A few of the girls were frustrated by their play today, but they are great kids and I was just happy to get another chance to coach them and spend time with them.”
Parkersburg’s Kennedy Porter, left, guards Marietta’s Hayleigh Chidester throughout Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Morrison)
Murray and Team Ohio’s coach – Saliba from Caldwell – had one thing in widespread in phrases of each teaching with present PHS assistant Amy Way.
“Amy actually group-texted us both — she said we were taking this game way too seriously,” Murray laughed. “Heather’s a competitor. She is a superb coach. I don’t wish to lose and he or she don’t wish to lose, so we sort of performed to win on the finish.
“Nobody wants to lose, but ultimately it doesn’t matter because we are raising money for a good cause.”
Stewart, who was not too long ago named Class AAA co-Player of the Year, additionally pulled down 10 rebounds to go along with her eight factors.
At the outset, the sport had all of the making of a blowout as West Virginia pulled out to an 11-0 lead. Williamstown’s Anna Cosner scored seven factors and Parkersburg’s Kennedy Porter added six factors in the primary half, which noticed Ohio fall behind by as many as 21 factors at 31-10.
Caldwell’s Heather Saliba, left, chats with Parkersburg’s Amy Way previous to Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. Saliba was the top coach for the Ohio girls whereas Way was an assistant for the West Virginia girls (Photo by Kerry Patrick)
West Virginia related on its first 4 pictures from the ground to open the second quarter earlier than Ohio started to make a surge with a 15-2 run. By halftime, Ohio had lower the deficit to 39-29.
“I knew my girls would start getting in a groove,” Saliba mentioned. “None of my girls had really played together. They had five PHS kids and the girls from Parkersburg South. So I knew it would take time for us to get into a groove.”
Ohio’s momentum carried into the second half as West Virginia misfired on its first 11 shot makes an attempt. Three-pointers from Godbey and Russell made the hole disappear at 41-41.
Ohio loved its first lead of the sport when Federal Hocking’s Rorie Tabler made a 3 and Trimble’s Rilynn Fouts transformed two free throws to place their membership in entrance 50-58 with two-plus minutes left in the interval.
“I didn’t see the Fairland girls in practice so I was curious to see how good they were,” Saliba mentioned. “I hadn’t seen them play before, but they are great basketball players.”
The tide went backwards and forwards in the fourth quarter. West Virginia led by as many as six (67-61) earlier than Ohio responded with an 8-0 run. Burt’s 3-pointer at 3:22 remaining in regulation left Ohio trailing 70-69. The bucket marked West Virginia’s final made area objective in regulation.
“What a great game,” Saliba mentioned. “I don’t know if this game has ever went into double-overtime.”
Contact Kerry Patrick at [email protected]