— By Joe Albright, Parkersburg News and Sentinel
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Huntington St. Joe’s 5-foot-7 senior guard Bailee Adkins could have displayed her considerable scoring talent across a challenging schedule during her senior season.
But as the heartbeat of the Irish, Adkins sacrificed those high point totals. Instead, she efficiently ran both the offense and defense. She sparked the Maxpreps.com nationally-ranked team on a nightly basis with her 10 points, 7.3 assists, four rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
“That’s my game and it always has been my game,” said Adkins. “And everyone knew their roles this year and I just ran the floor and tried to be the leader of the team.”
Adkins led the Irish to a 22-1 record as well as the top seed of and state championship favorite status in the W.Va. Class A state tournament.
Today, Adkins once again leads a group of highly talented players after she was voted the captain of the West Virginia Sports Writers Association’s Class A girls basketball All-State first team.
“I am just honored to be named captain,” said Adkins. “I would not be here right now if it wasn’t for my teammates and family and coaches. I definitely thank them. I get a little lazy sometimes and my mom pushes me to work out to get better.”
Junior teammate Grace Hutson, the 2020 W.Va. Gatorade Player of the Year, benefitted from much of that hard work. The Irish’s first-year player shot her way onto the top team with her 19.5 points per game. She also filled up the stat sheet with her averages of 4.5 rebounds, two assists and 2.8 steals.
Though COVID-19 suspended the state tournament, the team expected to face St. Joe for the title — Parkersburg Catholic — also placed two representatives in senior Madeline and sophomore Leslie Huffman. Each played large roles as the No. 2 Crusaderettes advanced to the state semifinals after a win over Tucker County.
Madeline (14.2 ppg, 6.8 apg, 4.5 spg) possibly capped off her career with a Class A state tournament record 15 assists against the Mountain Lions. Leslie added to her Little Kanawha Conference Player of the Year honors after her 23 points against Tucker County lived up to her 19.6 ppg average. Leslie’s evolution from a defensive stopper into a complete player equipped the Crusaderettes with another weapon.
The final pair of teammates hails from another state tournament qualifier. Junior Gavin Pivont’s (17.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.6 spg) and junior Taylor Isaac’s (21.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.2 apg, 5.7 spg) continued growth aided Summers County’s return trip to Charleston as the No. 5 seed. Pivont developed into a better leader, shooter and shot blocker as the season progressed. Issac, meanwhile, raised up her entire game.
Joining the three sets are two final players from state tournament qualifiers. Gilmer County guard Trinity Bancroft’s 35 points helped rally her Titans past Kaylee Reinbeau’s Wheeling Central Maroon Knights during a state quarterfinal matchup. Despite a hamstring injury forcing her to miss four games, Reinbeau (19.5 ppg, 12.7 rpg) powered a Knights’ team dealing with many injuries throughout the season to the big dance. Bancroft proved as valuable to the Titans with averages of 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.2 steals.
Parkersburg Catholic’s Aaliyah Brunny captained the second team after averaging 16.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. She is joined by fellow LKC players in Webster County’s freshman Sydney Baird and Ravenswood junior Annie Hunt. Rounding out the squad are four seniors in Tucker County’s Terra Kuhn, Magnolia’s Kyndra Pilant, Wheeling Central’s Hannah White and Pocahontas County’s Laila Calhoun alongside Tug Valley sophomore Kaylea Baisden.
Huntington St. Joe’s Hannah Roberts commands the third team with averages of 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
The Class A Girls All-State Basketball Team as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association:
First Team
Bailee Adkins, St. Joseph; Sr. (Captain)
Taylor Issac, Summers County; Jr.
Madeline Huffman, Parkersburg Catholic; Sr.
Grace Hutson, St. Joseph; Jr.
Leslie Huffman, Parkersburg Catholic; Soph.
Kalyee Reinbeau, Wheeling Central; Sr.
Trinity Bancroft, Gilmer County; Soph.
Gavin Pivont, Summers County; Jr.
Second Team
Aaliyah Brunny, Parkersburg Catholic; Jr. (Captain)
Terra Kuhn, Tucker County; Sr.
Kyndra Pilant, Magnolia; Sr.
Sydney Baird, Webster County; Fr.
Kaylea Baisden, Tug Valley; Soph.
Hannah White, Wheeling Central; Sr.
Laila Calhoun, Pocahontas County; Sr.
Annie Hunt, Ravenswood; Jr.
Third Team
Hannah Roberts, St. Joseph; Jr. (Captain)
Kenley Posten, Greenbrier West; Sr.
Josie Montgomery, Calhoun County; Jr.
Rebekah Rupert, Ritchie County; Fr.
Dionna Gray, St. Joseph; Soph.
Grace Mitchell, Greater Beckley Christian; Sr.
Kylie Wright, St. Marys; Jr.
Hannah Rahin, Charleston Catholic; Jr.
Honorable Mention
Julie Agee, Greenbrier West; Olivia Alexander, Montcalm; Trinity Amick, Richwood; Kira Bircher, Pocahontas County; Kadie Colebank, Tucker County; Abby Darnley, Buffalo; Emily Dickerson, Midland Trail; Jonna Ferrell, Doddridge County; Lara Fetty, St. Marys; Emilee Henderson, Notre Dame; Imani Hickman, St. Joseph; Bianca Howell, Doddridge County; Karli LaFauci, Van; Abby Lee, St. Joseph; London Hood, Tucker County; Katie Marcum, Tolsia; Makayla May, Tug Valley; Jazzy Melnyk, Madonna; Taylor McHenry, Gilmer County; Jenna Montgomery, South Harrison; Lilli Neely, Cameron; Caraline Nelson, Sherman; Alyssa Newsome, Tug Valley; Nicole Reynolds, Williamstown; Riley Richmond, Summers County; Lindsey Rinker, Moorefield; Kayli Sauro, Williamstown; Kylie Saltis, South Harrison; Hailea Skeens, Sherman; Jacyln Smith, Trinity; Morgan Turner, Notre Dame; Grace Wellings, Gilmer County; Jayla Wiseman, Williamstown; Emma Wyer, Wirt County; Bailee Yokum, Notre Dame