Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
CHAPMANVILLE, WVa Madisyn Curry hit a jumper from the right elbow with 0:17 remaining to give Class AA No. 8 Mingo Central a 47-45 victory over No. 9 Chapmanville in the Class AA Region 3 Section 2 championship at Danny Godby Gymnasium Friday night.
Chapmanville led 45-41 with just under a minute to play before Mingo Central scored the final six points for its second consecutive sectional championship.
Freshman Addie Smith hit a 3 and Curry’s jumper put the Lady Miners ahead, but Chapmanville raced up the court in transition as Haley Fleming found a wide-open Chloe Thompson for the apparent go-ahead basket.
Thompson’s layup attempt rolled off the rim and into the hands of Curry, who was immediately fouled, and sank one of two free throws to put Mingo Central up 47-45.
Chapmanville was unable to get a final shot off as the Mingo Central bench stormed the court as time ran out.
“Alyssa (Davis) set a huge screen for Addie to knock down a 3 and then Curry hit the shot to win it,” Mingo Central coach Kim Davis-Smith said. “Great team win, I am super proud of our kids they were not leaving Chapmanville without that trophy.”
The game was tied at 31 after three quarters of play before Mingo Central began the fourth quarter with eight straight points to take a 39-31 lead.
The Lady Tigers would not back down and responded with a 12-1 run of their own to take a 43-40 lead with just under two minutes to play.
“Very disappointing loss and a hard one to swallow especially for our fans, who have been tremendous and were better than ever last night,” Chapmanville coach Kristina Gore said. “We are sorry to have disappointed them, but we hope they will hang in there with us as we still have a chance moving forward.”
“Mingo Central outplayed us on the physical side, they hurt us on the offensive glass, and we gave them too many second chance opportunities,” Gore said. “I am proud of the fight our girls showed late, we clawed back into it, took the lead late, but unfortunately, we did not execute defensively in the closing seconds to get the stop we needed.”
Smith, who is only a freshman and sat out Mingo Central’s 65-24 win over Liberty (Raleigh), led the Lady Miners with 14 points. Curry added 13 and Davis and Bella Hall each had eight points.
Mingo Central (15-8) will host Class AA No. 6 Summers County (15-7) in search of its second consecutive Class AA Region 3 championship. The Lady Miners defeated the Lady Bobcats 48-39 in one of two Region 3 co-finals last season to earn its first ever state tournament berth.
Summers County defeated Mingo Central, 42-29, on Jan. 8, in the two schools only matchup this season.
“Summers County is a great team, they have a great coaching staff, and it should be another good game,” Davis-Smith said. “We lost to them in early January so we will be prepared and pray that Addie’s ankle continues to heal.”
Jaiden Mahon led Chapmanville with 12 points. Thompson had 11, Claire Dingess 10 and Fleming nine for the Lady Tigers.
Chapmanville (11-12) will travel to Class AA No. 2 Wyoming East (13-3). Wyoming East defeated Chapmanville, 82-17, in one of two Class AA Region 3 co-finals last season. The Lady Warriors, who are the reigning Class AA champion, and Lady Tigers did not meet this season.
“We are still one game away from our ultimate goal and we are excited to have that opportunity,” Gore said. “We will get back to practice and put together a game plan for Wyoming East.”
At Danny Godby Gymnasium
Class AA Region 3 Section 2 Championship
Mingo Central 47, Chapmanville 45
Mingo Central (15-8)
Alyssa Davis 2-3 4-8 8, Megan Adkins 0-2 1-2 1, DaLaney Grimmett 1-2 1-2 3, Bella Hall 4-6 0-1 8, Madisyn Curry 5-14 3-5 13, Addie Smith 5-17 1-3 14. Totals: 17-44 10-21 47.
Chapmanville (11-12)
Haley Fleming 4-8 1-3 9, Daizi Farley 1-2 0-0 3, Jaiden Mahon 3-6 4-5 12, Chloe Thompson 5-7 1-2 11, Claire Dingess 3-4 3-4 10. Totals: 16-31 9-14 45.
Mingo Central 9 9 13 16- 47
Chapmanville 7 16 8 14- 45
3-point field goals- Mingo Central 3-9 (Adkins 0-2, Smith 3-7), Chapmanville 4-9 (Fleming 0-1, Farley 1-1, Mahon 2-5, Dingess 1-1).
Class AA
Region 3 Section 1
Saturday, Feb. 19
2) Summers County 70, 3) Bluefield 24
Wednesday, Feb. 23
1) Wyoming East 58, 2) Summers County 45
Wyoming East wins Region 3 Section 1
Region 3 Section 2
Tuesday, Feb. 22
2) Mingo Central 65, 3) Liberty (Raleigh) 24
Friday, Feb. 25
2) Mingo Central 47, 1) Chapmanville 45
Mingo Central wins Region 3 Section 2
Region 3
Thursday, March 3
Chapmanville (11-12) at Wyoming East (13-3), 7 p.m.
Summers County (15-7) at Mingo Central (15-8), 7 p.m.