TVHS fails to repeat as Class A champion
BY KYLE LOVERN
FOR THE CITIZEN
CHARLESTON, W. Va. — The Tug Valley Lady Panthers’ attempt to win back-to-back state championships failed as Tucker County nipped the Mingo County squad 46-45 in the opening game of the West Virginia Girls State Basketball Tournament played at the Charleston Civic Center.
Tug Valley, the No. 3 seed, went ahead 45-44 on an Audrey Evans 3-pointer with just 18 seconds remaining in the game. However, 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 Kadie Colebank rebounded the miss and was fouled on her way up to the basket.
Colebank pulled down 25 rebounds in Tuesday’s Class A quarterfinal against Tug Valley.
Colebank calmly sank both free throws to give the Lady Mountain Lions a one-point lead. Evans fired a triple at the final buzzer for the Lady Panthers that missed and gave No. 6 seed Tucker County the win.
“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.”
Colebank’s 25 rebounds set a new Class A state tournament single-game record, as did the Mountain Lions’ 61 rebounds.
Coach Farley led the Lady Panthers to their first-ever state title in March 2021.
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 quarter. They tied the game on a pair foul shots from all-stater Kaylea Baisden 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.
Shooting percentages were not great for either team.
The Panthers made only 11-of-73 shots for the game. They made 5-of-36 shots and 2-of-18 3-pointers through two quarters. The Panthers missed their first 12 3-point shots.
“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.”
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.
The victory sent Tucker County (19-6) to a semifinal game versus No. 2 Cameron.
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 from the floor.
Evans finished with 10 points and 10 boards in the loss. Autumn Hall’s 13 rebounds were a team-high for Tug Valley. Hall scored six points, while Kenzie Browning scored 9 points and had 5 steals.
“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.”
Colebank led her team with 16 points.
The Panthers defeated the Mountain Lions 49-31 in a Class A semifinal last season.
The Lady Panthers won their sectional championship this season by defeating rival Tolsia 51-40.
That win allowed them to return to Tug Valley to host a Region IV co-final where they beat the visiting Calhoun County Lady Red Devils 58-49, which allowed them the chance to return to the state tourney in Charleston.
Four seniors played their final game for the Lady Panthers – Kaylea Baisden, Autumn Hall, Audrey Evans and Emily Hatfield.