Depth, marquee wins propelling Class A No. 1 Tucker County

Joey White for WVMetroNews.com

HAMBLETON, W.Va. – With the regular season drawing to a close in the next couple of weeks, the Tucker County girls basketball team looks to return to the state tournament for a 13th straight year.

After foul trouble and a lack of bench-depth led to a first round loss to Notre Dame a year ago in state tournament play, Tucker County head coach Jim Ambrose as a new-found wealth in numbers this season.

“I’m playing 10 girls,” he said. “Normally I’m at six, seven, or sometimes eight, but we’ve been playing 10. You have to commit to it. Some of these sophomores were going to have to be ready, and they’ve really stepped up and made us deeper. It’s been exciting to see them develop.”

An improved bench has helped lead the Mountain Lions to a 15-2 record heading into Friday, with key wins early season wins over defending champion Gilmer County (16-2), and title contender Wheeling Central (17-1). The two losses for Tucker County have come against AAA Martinsburg and AA Keyser.

Tucker County has maintained its spot all season as the top ranked Class A team in the MetroNews Power Index.

Tucker County coach Jim Ambrose is looking to lead the Mountain Lions to a 13th straight state tournament appearance.

An important key to the Mountain Lions’ success this season is star junior guard Sydney Nestor, whose selflessness and reduced minutes have allowed Ambrose to implement his new system.

“She averaged about 19 points per game last year. Right now, she’s averaging about 17 points per game because we have other scorers,” said Ambrose. “We’re not putting it all on Sydney like we’ve had to in years past.”

The increase in scoring threats has allowed Nestor to showcase one of her most underrated traits — her playmaking ability.

“She passes the basketball,” said Ambrose. “Everybody knows that we go through Sydney, so she’s hitting the open person and it’s made us so much better.”

With the state tournament on the horizon, Ambrose and his team understands the tradition and the expectation that comes with Tucker County basketball.

The Mountain Lions won Class AA titles in 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998 and have that 13th straight tournament appearance on the line this season.

“These girls don’t remember not going (to the state tournament),” said Ambrose. “Most of these girls weren’t even in school yet when the last team didn’t go. They don’t want to be that team.”

Qualifying for the state tournament would continue the program’s historic stretch, but this year’s goal is to make a run to the state championship.

“The last several years I’ve felt like we’ve had teams that could’ve advanced further,” said Ambrose. “Now that I have 10 (girls), hopefully it’s going to alleviate that problem. If we are in foul trouble, I can bring kids in that have had the time and know their roles.”

Above all else, the Mountain Lions plan on showing fans and opponents why they’ve been so successful.

“We’re going to play hard, and we’re going to outwork you,” Ambrose said. “We might not be the best basketball players, but we’re going to play hard. That’s Tucker County basketball.”

TUCKER COUNTY
2016-2017 Girls Basketball Schedule

1 12/02/16 07:30PM A – PHILIP BARBOUR HIGH SCHOOL  42 32  W
2 12/07/16 07:30PM H – POCAHONTAS COUNTY  67 28  W
3 12/10/16 03:00PM H – MARTINSBURG  46 61  L
4 12/12/16 05:00PM A – GILMER CO.(GLENVILLE STATE TOUR.)  55 48  W
5 12/14/16 06:30PM H – MOOREFIELD  68 40  W
6 12/17/16 12:00PM A – WHEELING CENTRAL (GLENVILLE STATE TOUR.)  40 36  W
7 12/19/16 07:30PM A – ELKINS  47 25  W
8 12/21/16 07:30PM H – PETERSBURG  58 46  W
9 12/27/16 07:30PM A – KEYSER  50 56  L
10 01/04/17 07:30PM H – EAST HARDY  84 31  W
11 Cancelled 05:45PM A – NOTRE DAME   
12 01/09/17 07:30PM H – FRANKFORT  69 49  W
13 01/12/17 06:00PM A – NOTRE DAME (MAKE UP)  67 30  W
14 01/18/17 07:30PM A – PENDLETON COUNTY  54 19  W
15 01/20/17 07:30PM A – POCAHONTAS COUNTY  73 38  W
16 01/24/17 07:30PM H – ELKINS  60 29  W
17 01/25/17 07:30PM A – EAST HARDY  63 22  W
18 01/28/17 01:00PM A – CHARLESTON CATHOLIC  40 35  W
19 Cancelled 06:30PM H – NOTRE DAME   
20 02/03/17 07:30PM H – PENDLETON COUNTY   
21 02/04/17 12:00PM H – NOTRE DAME (MAKE UP)   
22 02/08/17 06:30PM A – MOOREFIELD   
23 02/10/17 07:30PM A – PETERSBURG   
24 02/11/17 07:30PM H – LINCOLN   
25 02/21/17 07:00PM H – SECTIONAL (@HIGHER SEED)   
26 02/23/17 07:00PM H – SECTIONAL (@HIGHER SEED)   
27 02/25/17 07:00PM A – SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (@KEYSER)   
28 03/02/17 07:00PM H – REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP    
29 03/08/17 TBAPM A – STATES    
 wins: 15   lost: 2   ties: 0




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