CHARLESTON, W.Va. – No. 1 Martinsburg saw most of a 17-point lead evaporate as it made just one field goal during the last 13 minutes. But then the Bulldogs made a defensive play that salvaged the Class AAA state title.
After Beckley-Woodrow Wilson rallied to make it a one-possession game in the final minute, Jordan Robinson stole a pass and fed Jalen Lewis for a momentum-breaking layup that helped Martinsburg hang on for a 57-52 victory.
The Bulldogs (26-2), who became the third top seed to win Saturday, were led by Donte Grantham’s game-high 20 points and 17 rebounds.
“I love my team, and I’ll remember this forever,” said Grantham, a major-college prospect who plans to announce his college choice by early May.
Lewis added 13 points including 5-of-8 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, almost everyone of hem crucial as second-seeded Woodrow Wilson (23-5) tightened the game late.
“Our kids could have folded the tent, but they made a run at them there at the end,” said Woodrow Wilson coach Ron Kidd. “This is a scrappy ballclub and they scrapped until the end.”
With 42 seconds left and Martinsburg leading 52-49, Lewis missed his second free throw. Beckley’s Brent Osborne rebounded the ball and fired an outlet pass up the right sideline, which Robinson intercepted and dished back to Lewis for the basket. That was the Bulldogs’ first field goal since the 3:13 mark of the third quarter, and only field goal they attempted in the fourth.
“You had No. 1 and No. 2 going at each other, and Beckley got here because they’re a great basketball team,” said Martinsburg coach Dave Rogers. “Absolutely, we knew they’d make a run.”
Martinsburg built a 45-28 lead in the third period before the Flying Eagles countered with a 21-6 run to pull within two points.
“We knew they were going to make a run, we did a great job of contesting their shots and rebounding at the start,” Rogers said. “At some point their shots were going to fall, but we withstood the run and came out on top.”
Woodrow Wilson was paced by its lone senior, Andrew Johnson, who scored 19 points and led the charge on defense by absorbing three charges during the comeback.
“They were whipping our butts in the first half, because we weren’t matching their intensity,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want to go out like that, so I fought hard until the end.”
Freshman Nequan Carrington added 12 points and eight rebounds.
“As a freshman in this game I’m sure he didn’t know the whole magnitude behind everything,” Kidd said. “But he played tough on (Grantham).”
The Class AAA all-tournament team included Grantham, Eugene German and Lewis of Martinsburg; Johnson, Carrington and Donte Nabors of Woodrow Wilson; and Keldon Bell and Dominique Newman of Washington.
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Comments
rjb
I guess what do you expect when you have recruits playing for you. It is a shame high school sports has gone from the local boys/girls to recruiting players just to win!!! No matter, it was a good game and hats off to both teams. (I am not living in Beckley!!)
March 16, 2013 at 10:01 pm |
cutty77
Beckely got some very questionable calls too.Dave Rodgers the coach of The Bull-Dogs called some great Time Outs at the end of the game too.
March 16, 2013 at 10:50 pm |
William Harman
Who is a recruit?
March 16, 2013 at 10:51 pm |
Katie Mae Cloud
Exactly who do you suppose is a recruit for our team rjb? Every single player on our team is a resident of Martinsburg, no-one has come to our school that hasn't been living here. Always some fuddy Xuddy blame of why someone wins. You must have us confused with Hedgesville Highs Superior at wrangling recruits Mr K. Church. (I am living in Martinsburg) Congrats to a team of young men that have Been friends and family and teammates since 8th grade or earlier, job well done.This year its tears of joy for an unstoppable brotherhood
March 17, 2013 at 12:11 am |
rjb
Heard your coach say it on the post game interview pal. Just repeating what he said. Maybe he meant that another way? Give you guys a pass. You won so "To the victors goes the spoils!" Enjoy your championship! It is what it is.Have a nice celebration.
March 17, 2013 at 6:17 am |
Craig L.
Coach Rogers said that but he meant that Grantham was being recruited by Div I College's not that he recruited him to MHS. As an Alum of MHS I take offense to your line. I recall many times in Charleston when they didn't know the Eastern Panhandle existed. Well rjb, let's see. MHS 3 time AAA Football Champs, MHS wins it's 3rd BBALL title tonight, Hedgesville wins the BBALL title in 2012, I won't mention the 10 Baseball titles of Jefferson or the 4 that MHS has won. And finally when the rankings are posted for next year, Washington High School will be #1 or #2. So, rjb if that is recruiting then the who Panhandle does it!!!!
March 17, 2013 at 12:27 pm |
Twitch
The term "recruiting" used by Coach Rogers was in reference to the recruiting Donte Grantham has been experiencing from Division I schools this season.
March 17, 2013 at 9:08 pm |
gag
Martinsburg, is a "great" example of the quality of athletes in the "eastern panhandle", the power continues to shift to the east! Good teams, well coached are "supposed" to produce recruits, Im sure Beckley would agree with that.
March 17, 2013 at 2:28 am |
Keefe
The rest of the West Virginia will suffer population decline. The eastern panhandle is growing like Baltimore MD did 30 years ago. Names like Grantham,Lewis, and Cole sound very familiar. That is right some of those families have been playing ball at Martinsburg for many years. Shame on Martinsburg for creating a gene pool. Dave Rodgers shame on you for recruiting players in your district encourage them to transfer so everything will be fair,because Beckley could not win their 17th. rjb is a sore loser!
March 17, 2013 at 5:54 am |
Chad
When I went to High School we played against Woodrow and that was the year they only lost one game and lost to Moss and Williams from DuPont and they ended up getting 2 or 3 players from Shady Spring to playfor them. Beckley has always recruited right around their area.
March 17, 2013 at 6:53 am |
rjb
Sounds like a Red Devil or Tiger fan. Maybe you are referring to players parents that moved into the city limits. Like I said I do not live in Beckley. I live in another county and root for our team in this county. Whatever! Let's move on!!! GEE! WHIZ!!
March 17, 2013 at 8:22 am |
Craig L.
Who defeated Moss and Willam's Dupont team in 1994...Martinsburg Bulldog's did!!! I believe the score was 79-72 or alone those lines. MHS stopped Moss on his fast break release and beat them at their own game. I hear even today folks calling that win a fluke!!! Fluke or not MHS won fair and square. There were 4 DIV I recruits on the floor that night...3 for Dupont and 1 for MHS!!! One thing the state championships have done over 100 years is produce GREAT Basketball!!!!!
March 17, 2013 at 12:34 pm |
cutty77
Boys and Girls is happens everywhere,and has happened for a long time.Albie Willimams moved into the GW area just to play for GW back in the 70's when they won it all.Like Bobby Bowden told Lou Holtz.after Bobby Blew out Lou Holtz when they were both young Coaches.RECRUIT BETTER PLAYERS.LOU. LOL
March 17, 2013 at 1:47 pm |
commonsense
Sad..... Jealous of high school kids? Seriously? I would expect a bit more class out of my fellow WVians.
March 17, 2013 at 8:28 pm |
Twitch
WOW! This statement is the epitome of "Sore Loser"! First, let me state that I am not a Martinsburg fan but I do appreciate and promote WV talent. Great people have come from the halls of Martinsburg High School, not only from athletics but from academics as well. Your description of Martinsburg High as an "urban, inner city, slum school" that "honors drug dealers over education" holds absolutely NO truth. It would behoove you DWL to take the loss and move on. One can learn alot from losing....it often times can show ones "true colors". The reality is Sir or Madame, the WV AAA State Championship game was played by two very deserving teams that showed athleticism and sportsmanship. My hat goes off to all of the young men in the state tournament!!
March 17, 2013 at 9:25 pm |
WVIRGINIAN FOR LIFE
Wow! Bashing high school athletes now too? You people from the Charleston area never cease to amaze us here in the Eastern Panhandle. You think you have the best, are the best and insult the rest. Your great state of Kanawha does everything it can to railroad every other team. Especially teams from our area. Sour grapes would be mild to describe this poor loser behavior. Stay down in your remote wood tick arena. Keep buying those million dollar routers, screwing up our education, utilizing more than your fair share of states road funds, etc. We certainly don't need you. For those Kanawha residents who are fair and polite, you are always welcome up here.
March 17, 2013 at 10:28 pm |
Larry
Even with the loss, Beckley is absolutely the best high school basketball program in WV, no other school has won as many championships, or ever will, and they have been consistent through multiple decades, no other program comes close.
March 18, 2013 at 7:34 am |
WVIRGINIAN FOR LIFE
DWL, you must be visiting one of the local Kanawha meth labs that we hear about so often. I hope you don't represent the nucleus of Kanawha and adjacent county residents. If you do, that explains why this state is going down the tubes. Your attitude is simply appalling. Martinsburg High School, state champions in football and basketball in one season. You don't accomplish that thru drug use and other societal dysfunctions. Go Bulldogs and congrats to Beckley-WW and Washington High Schools for great seasons as well.
March 18, 2013 at 9:26 am |
WVIRGINIAN FOR LIFE
Well said Kris. It only takes one or two sore losers to cast a negative perception on all. I hope that is not the case here.
March 18, 2013 at 11:11 am |
WVIRGINIAN FOR LIFE
Go "Martinsburg Bulldogs" and "Musselman Applemen!!!!!" And as always, good luck to all teams.
March 18, 2013 at 11:14 am |