Nitro gets defensive to win state tournament rematch over Wayne, 30-25

NITRO, W.Va. — In a game where both teams endured lengthy scoring droughts, Nitro used a 17-1 first-half run and consecutive triples in the fourth quarter to collect a 30-25 win over Wayne in a state tournament rematch from last March.

The defending Class AAA state champion Wildcats improved to 10-2 on the season.

“We played outstanding defense for the day,” Nitro head coach Pat Jones said. “We had a couple girls in foul trouble. But like I told them, ‘That’s the intensity and type of defense that we play’. That’s going to happen occasionally.”

Wayne scored the first five points in the game before the Wildcats scored the last seven points of the opening frame. Midway through the second quarter, Nitro built a double-digit lead with a 17-1 run between the quarters.

“We were just staying composed. We weren’t rushing our shots.”

Trailing 17-6, Wayne pulled within four points at halftime and they trailed 18-14 at intermission.

In the third quarter, a layup from Wayne’s Kiya Brown represented the only field goal in the frame for either team. Wayne pulled within a point, 19-18 at the end of the third.

Nitro broke the ice a minute into the fourth quarter. Brooklyn Cawley and Ava Edwards connected on three-pointers on consecutive possessions to build a 25-18 lead.

“I told [Cawley], ‘It is going to start falling. You just have to believe in it’. Thankfully, it started in the fourth with her and Ava.”

With three minutes to play, Wayne pulled within a basket when Mikayla Stacy connected on a corner three-pointer to make the score 25-23. However, the Wildcats allowed just two points the rest of the way to seal the win.

“We knew they liked to shoot the ball from the outside a lot. Really we just wanted to hedge off the screens because they wanted to get some high screens to get Addie Adkins and Brooke Adkins and Jayce Sammons open for the three. The key role was just to stay in front of them.”

Natalie Smith led the Wildcats with 11 points while Stacy paced the Pioneers (8-3) with ten points.

“The environment here was amazing tonight, on both ends. I thought Wayne had a great crowd. We had a great crowd. Our girls just stayed positive and didn’t get down on themselves. We knocked down some free throws at the end of the game to seal the win.”

Nitro players and coaches wore gold t-shirts in pregame warmups and Wayne players and coaches donned gold ribbons in memory of Maddox Potter. Potter, a George Washington High School student, passed away on Friday after a lengthy battle with cancer.





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