(Game highlights)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Tucker County’s Kadie Colebank came down with 25 rebounds in Tuesday’s Class A quarterfinal against Tug Valley.
Her final rebound, combined with Colebank’s ability to make two free throws with 6 seconds remaining, enabled the sixth-seeded Mountain Lions to prevail over the No. 3 Panthers, 46-45.
“My mindset was to win the game, advance to the semifinals and possibly bring home a state championship for my team,” Colebank said. “It’s nerve-wracking, but I shoot foul shots every time at the end of practice with my sister and get my technique down. The pressure didn’t really bother me at the end.”
The victory sends Tucker County (19-6) to a semifinal at 11:15 a.m. Thursday against No. 2 Cameron.
After Tug Valley went ahead 45-44 on an Audrey Evans 3-pointer with 18 seconds remaining, the Mountain Lions’ Jayden Kuhn was fouled on a drive to the basket. Kuhn missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but the 6-foot-1 Colebank rebounded the miss and was fouled on her way up to the basket.
Colebank calmly sank both free throws, before Evans fired a triple at the buzzer that missed the mark and sealed the verdict.
“We needed that particular rebound and we didn’t get it,” Tug Valley head coach Clyde Farley said. “We fouled her and she made her shots. We got a good look at the end, just didn’t knock it down.”
TCHS closed the third quarter on a 12-0 run to hold a 38-30 lead entering the fourth. However, the Panthers (17-6) responded by rattling off eight unanswered points to start the final frame and pulled even on a pair of Kaylea Baisden free throws with 3:42 remaining.
“Our defense picked it up a notch,” Farley said. “It took us longer to carve into that 8 points and I give them total credit for that. Most teams we play, during that run that took 5 or 6 minutes, we’d put 15 or 16 points on the board.”
A short jumper from Kuhn, combined with Ericka Zirk’s follow-up basket, enabled Tucker to lead 42-38 with 2:29 left. The advantage was still four after Colebank scored with 1:49 left to make it 44-40.
But the Panthers got two more free throws from Baisden with 52 seconds left and Evans’ triple to take a late lead.
Both teams struggled to generate offense in the opening quarter, before Colebank accounted for half of her team’s 16 points in the second quarter to help the Mountain Lions build a 21-17 halftime advantage.
“Our whole goal was to push pace when we could, attack them and kind of keep them on their heels,” Tucker County head coach Dave Helmick said. “If we could push pace and get a better look off the fastbreak, that was our plan. In the first half, we kind of got away from them and did what we needed to do defensively and limited them to one shot for the most part.”
The Panthers, who hit only 11-of-73 shots for the game, made 5-of-36 shots and 2-of-18 triples through two quarters. The Panthers misfired on each of their first 12 3s.
“Our shooting percentage was not very good. We missed a bunch of shots we normally make,” Farley said. “It was one of those games and at times it felt like we couldn’t throw it in the ocean. It’s a hard loss, but we’re going to accept it and move on.”
TVHS scored six straight points to start the second half and took a two-point lead on Kenzie Browning’s 3, but the Mountain Lions went back in front 27 seconds later when Brylee Wetzel connected from beyond the arc.
Tug Valley eventually led 28-26 on a Baisden layup, before the Mountain Lions scored 12 unanswered points over the final 3:39 of the third quarter to lead 38-30 — the biggest advantage for either team throughout the contest.
Colebank’s 25 rebounds set a new Class A state tournament single-game record, as did the Mountain Lions’ 61 rebounds.
Colebank also led her team with 16 points.
“It’s awesome,” Colebank said. “This is what every player dreams of — helping their team win the game and advancing.”
Kuhn and Wetzel scored seven apiece in the victory.
A plus-15 rebounding margin for Tucker helped the Mountain Lions overcome a minus-15 turnover margin, as they committed 25 turnovers to the Panthers’ 10
“They turned it over,” Farley said, “but then they played good defense on the other end.”
Baisden finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and five steals in her last high school game. She made 10-of-11 free throws but only 3-of-24 shots.
“I’m disappointed today,” Baisden said . “I probably played the worst game of my life, but it’s been the best four years I can ask for.”
“I’ll take that defense on her any day of the week,” Helmick added.
Evans finished with 10 points and 10 boards in defeat, while shooting 3 of 26.
Autumn Hall’s 13 rebounds were a team-high in defeat.
The Panthers defeated the Mountain Lions 49-31 in a Class A semifinal last season.
“They knocked us out in the semifinals and we didn’t play well last year,” Helmick said. “The other motivation was us being a 6 seed. We didn’t think we deserved a 6 seed. I feel our schedule was strong enough that we deserved better than a 6 seed and I used that as motivation for the kids. I felt disrespect that we were a 6. Tug Valley probably doesn’t think we’re a 6 either and that’s where it’s unfair when they have to play a team like us. That’s where I feel it needs changed. We need to reward teams for their strength of schedule, create a points system like football.”
(Tucker County postgame press conference)