CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In a game where points were at a premium for a large portion, Nitro found a way to get far more easy baskets than did Lewis County.
In turn the No. 3 Wildcats outscored the No. 4 Minutemaids 22-8 in paint points, and it made all the difference in a 47-39 victory that gives Nitro its second state championship since 2021.
“Lewis County is an outstanding team and we did our best to stay in front of them and close out,” Nitro head coach Pat Jones said. “Our pressure defense kind of wore them down in the second half.”
A tightly-contested matchup throughout saw Lewis County (24-4) enter the fourth quarter with a 30-29 lead.
However, Nitro (24-3) got two layups from Natalie Smith over the first 1:37 of the final frame to go in front.
A three-pointer from the Minutemaids’ Ella Pinkney put LCHS on top 35-33 with 5:08 remaining, but that proved to be the last lead for Lewis.
Smith scored from close range again with 4:18 left to tie it, then made it eight straight points for her team with another layup after the Wildcats’ came up with an offensive rebound off a missed foul shot.
“Natalie kind of came alive and took the game over in the fourth quarter and does what Natalie does when you tell her what she has to do,” Jones said. “We told Natalie months ago if she focused more on her inside game than her outside game that her outside game would come to her.
“The second half of the season she just played unbelievable basketball.”
When freshman guard Mika Adams made a short jumper with 3:34 left, the Wildcats were in front by two possessions at 39-35.
Hailey Newsome scored the next three points on one free throw and an inside bucket to leave the Wildcats on top by seven, and NHS made 5-of-8 free throws over the final 1:47 to prevent LCHS from getting any closer than five in the final few minutes.
“Hats off to Nitro. They made shots when they needed to make shots in key moments and they got some big-time rebounds,” Minutemaids’ head coach Joe Nichols said.
A low-scoring first half ended with the teams tied at 15. The Minutemaids made only 1-of-9 shots in the opening quarter while appearing battle nerves and the defensive-minded Wildcats led 8-3 through 8 minutes.
Yet LCHS settled in some during the second period, tying the game at 10 on a Kenna Maxwell triple, and then again at 13 after Newsome and Pinkney traded treys.
Pinkney’s seven first-half points led all players, but otherwise, the Minutemaids made only 3-of-20 shots, while struggling to generate points from close range, much of what Nichols felt had to do with Smith.
“She was sagging on the ball screens and kind of shadowing our ball screens,” Nichols said. “It’s hard to finish over top of her. You can’t teach size.”
(Postgame “Round of Sound”)
Each team increased its offensive production in the third quarter by making five field goals.
A Maxwell her trey 25 seconds into the second half enabled the Minutemaids to lead 18-17 — their first advantage of the outing.
An Ava Edwards triple with 2:50 to play in the third allowed the Wildcats to lead 29-25, but they were held scoreless the remainder of the frame and Lewis gained a one-point lead on the strength of Bryn Hunt’s three and a Pinkney layup.
The Minutemaids made 3-of-6 threes in the third quarter but only 4 of 21 attempts otherwise.
“For them to go 7 for 27 from the three-point line,” Jones said, “I’m happy with that percentage.”
Smith, named most outstanding player of the Class AAA state tournament, scored a game-high 17 points to go with seven rebounds and five steals.
“I knew I had to get the ball down low, put the team on my back and carry us,” she said.
Cawley, a freshman, added 12 and Newsome scored nine to go with six boards.
(MetroNews broadcast highlights)
It marks the Wildcats’ second state championship since 2021, and after it, Jones had a stern message for those that doubted his coaching ability throughout this season.
“It’s been the most stressful season I’ve ever had,” Jones said. “Every game for 28 games I had at least one parent text me complaining about playing time. Most times it was two. To win this lets me know I do know a little bit about coaching.
“These parents are unappreciative. I’m not going to sugarcoat it anymore. We work too hard as a coaching staff and these girls work too hard as players for these parents to text me about playing time. We won a state championship. I had the right girls on the court at the end of the time and that’s the end of my story.”
Pinkney led Lewis with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals.
“She’s one of the most underrated players in West Virginia,” Nichols said. “Night in and night out, we ask her to guard the best player.”
Maxwell added 12 on four threes.
Nitro scored seven more points on free throws and the Minutemaids shot less than 29 percent, while the Wildcats were north of 38 percent.
“To the Lewis County community, sorry we couldn’t get it done for you,” Nichols said. “They traveled everywhere with us. It means so much to the girls and means so much to us.”
(MetroNews broadcast interview with Pat Jones)
Class AAA all-tournament team
Brooklyn Shupe, East Fairmont
Brooklyn Cawley, Nitro
Addie Adkins, Wayne
Kenly Rogers, East Fairmont
Kenna Maxwell, Lewis County
Jayce Sammons, Wayne
Ella Pinkney, Lewis County
Natalie Smith, Nitro
Most Outstanding Player: Natalie Smith, Nitro
(Nitro postgame press conference)