(Game highlights)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Last May, Poca’s Isaac McKneely sat inside the media room of the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center following the Class AA final and vowed the Dots would be back next season to claim what he felt they had let slip away in a three-point loss to Williamstown.
Ten months later, McKneely’s words proved prophetic.
Class AA No. 1 Poca overcame better than 51 percent shooting from No. 3 Bluefield by making more than 54 percent of its shots, and the Dots used a strong opening quarter to lead throughout a 65-48 victory that gives the program its third state championship.
“I remember sitting in this exact seat last year and it was an unbearable feeling,” McKneely said. “I wanted to stay home and coop up. Our motto this season was leave no doubt and we left no doubt we’re the best team in Double-A, and I think we’re the best team in the state period. Finishing it off with a state championship, I can’t even describe how great it feels.”
McKneely, a Virginia signee and winner of the Bill Evans Award as the state’s most outstanding player each of the last two seasons, was key in his team’s strong start and scored 10 points in the opening quarter to stake Poca (26-1) to a 21-12 lead.
(MetroNews broadcast highlights)
While McKneely made all six of his free-throw attempts in addition to a pair of buckets from close range in the first, the Dots’ supporting cast also stepped up, with four other plays scoring, including Kambel Meeks’ 3-pointer and and a pair of Ethan Maynor jump shots.
“The three that Kambel made to start the game and those jumpers the other guys hit were really important,” Poca head coach Allen Osborne said. “Ethan is in the breakfast club and comes in early shooting with Isaac sometimes, and it’s paid off for him. Those were big baskets. We saw 1-2-2, triangle-and-2, man-to-man and two or three different presses and our kids handled the ball well.”
McKneely and Maynor both carried their play over to the second quarter. The duo combined for eight straight points, six of which McKneely provided on a pair of triples, to give the Dots a 31-14 lead 5:45 before halftime.
However, Bluefield (21-6) responded with its best stretch of the contest, and pulled to within 33-21 after R.J. Hairston scored in the paint. Although Maynor answered with a jumper, the Beavers ran off the final five points of the half courtesy of William Looney’s basket and a Ja’eon Flack triple, enabling them to close their deficit to 35-26 at the intermission.
(Postgame ‘Round of Sound’)
BHS made 10-of-19 field goals in the opening half, but the Dots were 8 for 8 on free throws, 12 for 26 on field goals and held a 15-11 rebounding advantage to maintain their distance.
“My biggest concern going into this game was they don’t make mistakes,” Bluefield head coach Buster Large said. “They shot the lights out in the first half. That was my big concern and it happened. They’re a solid ball club and they’re well-coached. They’re just a good overall team that deserved this Double-A state championship.”
The Beavers got as close as six in the early stages of the third quarter after Looney’s triple made it 37-31.
However, Bluefield went nearly the 3 next minutes without scoring, during which time Meeks hit two treys and McKneely one, allowing Poca to lead 46-31.
Two triples from Caleb Fuller over the final 2:20 of the third allowed Bluefield to cut its deficit to 50-39 entering the fourth.
Poca put the game out of reach early in the fourth. Meeks’ layup, McKneely’s 3 and Toby Payne’s bucket enabled the Dots to hold their largest lead up until that point at 57-39 with 6:16 remaining.
“It’s hard on them whenever you cut the lead like that and make a run and the other team comes right back at you, and we were able to do that,” Osborne said.
(Poca postgame press conference)
The Beavers got no closer than 15 the rest of the way.
“We had some chances,” Large said. “We got it down to eleven and if we could’ve gotten it to six or eight going to the fourth quarter, it would’ve been interesting. In the fourth qtr, we shut McKneely down, but they got loose on some layups and we turned it over a couple times.”
McKneely capped his storied high school career with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Meeks was equally instrumental in the win and made 6-of-8 shots to score 15 points, while leading all players with nine assists. As a team, Poca had 19 assists and only seven turnovers.
Maynor contributed 10 points in the win.
The aforementioned trio combined to make 18-of-31 shots.
Payne scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds.
It was the final high school game for McKneely, Maynor and Payne, along with four other seniors on the squad.
“We’ve always been close, but this season I always felt a special bond between us,” McKneely said. “To finish it off with a state championship, we’re on top of the world right now and there’s no better feeling.”
Fuller made four 3s and led the Beavers with 16 points. Hairston scored 15 in defeat.
Poca limited Bluefield to two second-chance points and held the Beavers without a fastbreak point. The Dots also finished with a 25-19 rebounding edge to help Osborne win his third title and first since 2015 in his 42nd season guiding the program.
“What made this team so special is they’ll give up something to get something for their teammates,” Osborne said. “That’s why we’re here right now because of the unselfishness. This was a true basketball team.”
FINAL STATS FROM CLASS AA TITLE GAME
Class AA all-tournament team
Grant Barnhart, St. Marys
Jackson Toney, Poca
Ja’eon Flack, Bluefield
Corey Boulden, South Harrison
Matthew Carte, Ravenswood
Waylon Moore, St. Marys
R.J. Hairston, Bluefield
Isaac McKneely, Poca
(Bluefield postgame press conference)