Chapmanville shoot over 70% from the field and outscored Summers County 29-9 in the third quarter to wins its first regional championship in 13 years and advance to the Class AA Girls State Basketball Tournament for the first time since the 2010-11 season (Photo courtesy of CKG Graphics).
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
CHAPMANVILLE There was a lot to do with the number three Wednesday night at the Danny Godby Gymnasium.
For starters, it was the third meeting between fourth-ranked Summers County and eighth-ranked Chapmanville in the Region III championship. Factor in that the Lady Tigers had struggled from 3-point range in the two previous meetings with the Lady Bobcats and had been outscored by nine points combined in the third quarter of those meetings and finally add to the old sports adage that it is hard to beat a team three times in one season.
Behind three double digit scorers, a blistering third quarter and eight 3-pointers the Chapmanville Lady Tigers made sure that the third time was the charm and cruised to a 62-34 win over Summers County in the Class AA Region III championship.
Chapmanville improved to 15-9, won for the 11th time in its last 16 games, and advanced to the school's first state tournament in 13 years. The Lady Tigers are the fifth-seed in the Thursday's Class AA Girls State Tournament and will face fourth-seed Ravenswood at 9 p.m. Thursday night.
The Lady Tigers led the Lady Bobcats 27-15 at halftime after outscoring them 11-3 in the second quarter.
The third quarter without a shadow of a doubt was the Lady Tigers best quarter of the season when they needed it the most.
Alaira Evans and Jaiden Mahon scored 16 and 13 points respectively in the third quarter that saw Chapmanville outscore Summers County 29-9 and stretch its lead to 56-24 heading to the fourth quarter.
Evans filled the stat sheets in the quarter, scoring 16 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the field and 4 of 4 from 3. She also two steals and one assist. Mahon finished the quarter a perfect 5 of 5 from the field, was 1 of 1 from 3, 3 of 3 from the free throw and had one block shot.
Whether it was the offense or the defense, everything was going the Lady Tigers way in the third quarter, a quarter that saw them shoot 73.3 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from 3. Chapmanville rarely missed in the quarter, making good on 11 of its 15 shots from the field and 5 of its 6 3-point attempts. The Lady Tigers also assisted on eight of 11 made baskets in the quarter with Haley Fleming dishing out four of those assists.
On the defensive end, the Lady Tigers forced six turnovers and held the Lady Bobcats to 18.2 percent shooting from the field. Summers County made only two of its 11 field goal attempts in the quarter.
Evans led the way with 22 points, Mahon added 19 and Daizi Farly 16 to give Chapmanville a trio of double digit scorers.
Summers County held a brief 6-5 lead in the first quarter and was tied with Chapmanville at 8 before the Lady Tigers closed the first on an 8-4 run to take a 16-12 lead after one.
Trailing 20-12, Summers County was able to draw within five points, 20-15, before Chapmanville closed the quarter on a 7-0 run and led 27-15 at halftime.
Gracie Harvey led Summers County with 12 points and Abby Persinger had 11 for the Lady Bobcats, who committed 27 turnovers and finished the season with a 16-8 record after losing three of their last four games.
Class AA Region III Championship (Danny Godby Gymnasium-Chapmanville, WV)
Chapmanville 62, Summers County 34
Summers County Lady Bobcats (16-8)
Jones 0 0-0 0, Farrish 1 2-2 4, Hayes 0 0-0 0, Cole 0 0-0 0, McGraw 0 0-0 0, Boone 0 0-0 0, Lilly 1 1-2 3, Lambert 0 0-0 0, Persinger 4 3-3 11, Bennett 0 0-0 0, Harvey 4 4-4 12,
Smith 1 0-0 2. Totals: 12 10-11 34.
Chapmanville Lady Tigers (15-9)
Lucas 0 0-0 0, Fleming 2 1-2 5, Miller 0 0-0 0, Brewer 0 0-0 0, Manns 0 0-0 0, Farley 6 2-3 16, Kirk 0 0-0 0, Pritchard 0 0-0 0, Mahon 7 4-4 19, Brown 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0-0 0,
Christian 0 0-2 0, Parsons 0 0-0 0, Blair 0 0-0 0, Evans 7 3-4 22. Totals: 22 10-15 62.
Summers County 12 3 9 10- 34
Chapmanville 16 11 29 6- 62
3-point field goals_Summers County 0, Chapmanville 8 (Evans 5, Farley 2, Mahon).