CHARLESTON — There was merely no stopping the Wheeling Central Maroon Knights this season.
Wheeling Central capped off an undefeated 23-0 marketing campaign with a WVSSAC Class AA state championship on Saturday, attending to the mountaintop in back-to-back style with a 55-39 victory over Wyoming East inside a packed Charleston Coliseum.
Though the Maroon Knights and Warriors stored it shut all through, Wheeling Central by no means trailed within the second half of Saturday’s title bout, Central’s Eli Sancomb main the way in which with 21 factors, 11 rebounds and 4 assists within the closing outing of the reigning Evans Award winner’s profession.
Wheeling Central led 15-13 after the primary quarter, seizing the lead after Luke Sancomb hit a closely contested catch-and-shoot 3-pointer with two seconds left within the opening interval.
Central’s lead was one at halftime, 24-23. Steven Brodegard offered key scores for the Maroon Knights within the first half, scoring eight factors on 4-4 taking pictures. Brodegard’s free throw-line bounce shot with 5:06 within the second quarter gave Central a 19-16 lead and prompted a timeout from Wyoming East.
Central shot 10-26 within the first half; East shot 9-26.
The Maroon lead had elevated to 10 by the tip of the third quarter, 38-28, as Central’s protection held Wyoming east to 2-11 taking pictures within the quarter.
Down 12 factors with a couple of minutes to go, Wyoming East tried to ship Central’s Luke Sancomb to the road, however the junior went 4-4 from the foul line to salt away the championship win.
Wheeling Central had received consecutive titles on two separate events prior– 2008 and 2009, and 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005– all years the place the Knights competed in Class A.
Central’s Luke Sancomb and Max Olejasz every scored 10 factors, Olejasz additionally grabbing six rebounds within the closing sport of the 6-7 senior’s Wheeling Central profession. Brodegard, one other senior, completed with three blocks to go along with his eight factors. Junior Nico Kusic scored six factors with 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
Wheeling Central outrebounded Wyoming East 32-28 and shot 46.7% in opposition to the Warriors’ 32 p.c.
Wyoming East was led by Keegan Davidson’s 16 factors.
Luke Sancomb, Max Olejasz and Eli Sancomb made the Class AA All-Tournament workforce after the sport. Eli Sancomb was moreover honored because the Class AA Tournament MVP.