Class A No. 2 Tucker County Girls Basketball will return to the state tournament in Charleston for the 21st consecutive season after defeating the Cougars 59-30 in the Class A Region II Championship co-final last Wednesday in Hambleton.
Pendleton County won the other championship co-final over Pocahontas County to earn a state tournament berth.
“You work so hard to get here and it just feels so good. Tucker County has been there a lot of years and handled the pressure. I am proud of how the girls responded. East Hardy pushed us to overtime over there and played us tough here. They are a really good team and have phenomenal players and I am glad how our girls responded. Raven Matthews is among the best in the state as far as bigs. She really has been a dominant force for us. She tied our school single game scoring record with 41 points against Petersburg away. It actually set the girls scoring record and tied the men’s record set in 1979. She had 41 points and a double-double. She averages a double-double for us. We have been to state for 21 straight years. It is a testament to the dedication of the community support and the talent we had. I was part of the championship streak here and went on to play at Wheeling Jesuit. I am glad to carry on the tradition going to state,” Tucker County coach Alisha Lycliter remarked.
Tucker County senior Raven Matthews scored a championship game-high 22 points, followed by Mayah Gross with 12 points.
East Hardy was led in scoring by Brooklynn Tinnell with 12 points and Brooklyn Miller contributed 11 points in the loss.
“It means a lot. It gives us the chance to prove ourselves. We are kind of the underdog at right now and will probably be three or four there. Everybody knows we should be two, but we just have to go down there and play. It is special, playing basketball has meant everything to me my entire life. To be able to do this with the girls and coaches is really special. Honestly, we didn’t play well down at East Hardy. We have been practicing everyday and really worked hard to push the tempo and we are glad to make it back to Charleston,” Tucker County senior Raven Matthews stated.
The Mountain Lions improve to 16-6, while East Hardy finished the season at 10-12.
East Hardy kept the game close in the first period locking up with the Mountain Lions at 10-all, then Tucker County broke the game open with a 19-3 run in the second period and kept the momentum going to win the championship.
Tucker County’s Mayah Gross score the first bucket of the Class A Region II Championship at 7:07.
It took over two minutes before an answer came from the Cougars with a putback by Brooklynn Tinnell at 4:39.
During that stretch, the Cougars missed four field goals, despite two steals by Chloe Miller.
Chloe Miller snatched a defensive carom and found Brooklyn Miller for a jumper to give East Hardy a 4-2 lead at 4:14.
The Mountain Lions responded with an old-fashioned three-point play by Raven Matthews to regain the lead 5-4 on the ensuing series.
Tucker County’s Gross grabbed a defensive board, then the ball was stolen by East Hardy’s Addison Armentrout.
Both teams hit the rim before Tinnell nailed a 3-pointer to put the Cougars back on top 7-5 at 2:27.
A minute later, Gross hit a jumper to tie the game for the Mountain Lions.
The rim wasn’t friendly as bricked shots for both teams sandwiched a free throw by Gross, then McKenna Evans added free throws over the last minute to put Tucker County ahead 10-7.
Brooklyn Miller drilled a perimeter basket as the Cougars tied the game at 10-all with six seconds left in the first frame.
The Mountain Lions roared for a 7-nil run to start the second stanza as Matthews scored all those points including a three-point play, with assistance on passes inside from Gross, while the Cougars hit the rim four times and coughed the ball up twice.
East Hardy forced a turnover prior to Tinnell hitting a 3-pointer at 4:39 to stop the run, down 17-13.
Tucker County walked, but East Hardy failed to score.
Tucker County’s Izzy Kitzmiller sank a trey to extend the lead on the ensuing possession.
The Mountain Lions kpet the momentum going for a 12-0 run to close the first half for a 29-13 advantage.
Gross notched a 3-pointer, then Evans made a layup and Gross scored off a steal by Emily Snyder and the last field goal was from Peyton Cross.
East Hardy missed five field goals in the last few minutes of the second period and committed three turnovers.
The Cougars opened the third period with some flair as Brooklyn Miller connected on a 3-pointer just ten seconds into the frame, then Jenna Mongold collected a defensive rebound prior to two missed shots.
Matthews scored on a putback for the Mountain Lions at 6:53.
After a rebound by Miller and a jump ball, Tinnell swiped it and netted a layup, 31-18.
Tucker County’s Reagan Herron scored on a fast break, then stole the ball before having her shot blocked by Armentrout.
Matthews blocked the next Cougars attempt and made a save.
There was a big collision with a bunch of players crashing to the floor, but Addi Moats collected the ricochet and made a layup for a 35-18 lead at 5:15.
Chloe Miller made two free throws for the Cougars at 4:45, then Tinnell grabbed a defensive rebound before Herron blocked a shot.
Matthews blocked a shot a minute later, then crashed into the paint and completed an old-fashioned three-point play for a 40-20 advantage at 2:49.
Matthews, Tinnell and Snydre were able to make steals with the latter resulting in a layup by Evans.
East Hardy’s Chloe Miller stole the ball and dished to Armentrout for a layup at 2:05, 42-22.
Kitzmiller drained a 3-pointer for the Mountain Lions on the next series.
Chloe Miller and Armentrout made steals in the final minute of the third period, but the Cougars only managed to get one free throw from Miller as four other attempts went awry to trap 45-23 entering the final stanza.
Tucker County maintained the pressure in the fourth period outscoring the Cougars 14-7 to claim a 59-30 championship win and keep the tradition of going to Charleston for the state tournament for a 21st consecutive season.
