CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ritchie County girls basketball coach David McCullough has praised the Rebels for displaying growth down the stretch in close games as the season has progressed.
Nothing could compare to what the head coach saw from his No. 5 Rebels on Tuesday in a Class A quarterfinal against No. 4 Tucker County at the Charleston Coliseum.
Trailing by 10 to start the fourth quarter, Ritchie County dominated the final frame on both ends of the court, outscoring the Mountain Lions 17-3 to rally for an improbable 38-34 victory.
“We’re not going to quit. I know that for a fact,” McCullough said. “We went to a different press and that helped us get going. A little different offense to start the second half there. Elsa got a couple shots to fall and that helps. We finished it off strong. They looked for each other and it helps.”
The result allows the Rebels (16-7) to advance to a semifinal against top seed Gilmer County.
RCHS cut what was a 31-21 deficit to start the fourth in half 2:28 into the frame as Jordin Bailey scored and Chelsie Jeffrey followed with a three-pointer. When standout Rebels’ guard Elsa Law added a trey of her own 1:15 after Jeffrey’s, the Mountain Lions’ lead was down to two.
“We went out there and played a lot of good teams and when you play and schedule teams like that, it prepares you,” McCullough said.
Abbigayl Cox pulled Ritchie even at 31 with a bucket at the 3:38 mark, though Makenna Evans made the first of two free throws 13 seconds later to put Tucker (17-6) back on top.
The Mountain Lions possessed the ball with a three-point lead as the 1-minute mark neared, but Mayah Gross missed a shot that the Rebels rebounded. Law then drained a tying triple with 42 seconds remaining.
A Tucker turnover on its next possession proved especially costly, and the Rebels capitalized when Cox scored from close range with 18 seconds left off a pass from teammate Callie Smith.
The Mountain Lions had one last chance when Peyton Cross was fouled on a shot off a set inbound play with 3.7 seconds left, but after she missed the first free throw, she elected to intentionally miss the second, but was whistled for a lane violation.
Smith then sealed the outcome by making two foul shots with 2 seconds remaining.
After shooting 5 for 39 through three quarters, the Rebels were 6 for 12 in the final frame.
Tucker, meanwhile, was 1 for 8 with six turnovers across the final 8 minutes.
“We had them where we wanted them to start the fourth quarter,” Tucker coach Alisha McCune said. “We had a hard time putting the ball in the basket and we had a lot of turnovers.”
The Mountain Lions built their lead largely on the strength of defense, including a box-and-1 that helped slow Law throughout the first half as RCHS made 2-of-25 shots.
“We didn’t do ourselves any favor shooting 2 for 25 in the first half,” McCullough said. “But I know this group won’t quit, they’ll play hard for each other, and when it comes down to that, I wouldn’t want any other group this one.”
Mountain Lions’ guard Addi Moats made 4-of-7 shots, including two threes in a 10-point opening half that helped her team hold a 20-13 advantage at the break.
That lead grew to 31-18 late in the third before Law hit a three for the final points of the period. Law had all three of her buckets and nine of her 11 points in the second half.
“You have to trust your teammates. I know that they can do it, too,” Law said. “I was a little frustrated at the beginning, but coach switched up offenses and that made it easier to score and get other people the ball.”
Emily Bush scored 10 points in the win.
Law led her team with nine rebounds, Jeffrey added seven, Cox totaled six and Bush contributed five for a squad that finished with a 39-34 rebounding advantage.
“Our coaches always preach finding our person and boxing them out,” Bush said. “Just being aware of where they’re at and getting a body on them.”
“I didn’t feel like we went after the ball like we should’ve,” McCune said. “Sometimes it’s so hard when you give so much effort to defend to turn around and rebound, too.”
Moats led Tucker with 12 points and Isabella Kitzmiller scored nine in defeat.
Cross’ nine rebounds were a team-high.
The Mountain Lions were responsible for 24 of the game’s 40 turnovers.