Players to watch in the Class AAA regional tournament

Is this finally Fairmont Senior’s year, again? After being bounced in the first round two years ago and falling in the championship game last year, are the Polar Bears poised for a return to the top of the mountain for the first time since 2019? They certainly look great entering the regional tournament. Then again, Logan, North Marion and Wayne all enter the final weeks of the year full of confidence. Keyser and Hampshire can’t be left out of the mix, either. The Tornadoes bring a long and lanky team full of capable scorers and defenders to the mix. For the Trojans, they bring a team of junior varsity and middle school players now freshly seasoned after one year of action on the varsity level. Let’s not forget about the reigning state championship, either. Nitro might be missing Bailee Goins, but the Wildcats are still led by Paul Jones. They still have the 2021 state tournament leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id="153429" first="Taylor" last="Maddox"], and Lena Elkins really cleans the glass well. Could the Wildcats prove last year wasn’t just a one-time thing? They are certainly in the right classification for upsets. In other words, no. No, the Polar Bears have nothing wrapped up as we enter the last weeks of the season. Here are the athletes that will have something to say about the team championship outcome. Region I Section 1: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153389" first="Katlyn" last="Carson"], North Marion, C, Sr., 5-10 - </strong>North Marion eyes a state championship. That means they need seniors like Carson stepping up every night. Luckily for head coach Mike Parrish, she’s coming on even stronger at the end of the year. In the group’s big upset over Greenbrier East, she powered the third-quarter comeback with eight points in just three minutes, then she nailed the game-winner for the final two of her 25 points against the Spartans. She followed that performance up with 22 points against East Fairmont. She’s such a huge problem for teams who can’t handle her length. She has moves down low, rebounds well, and it’s hard to get her to leave her feet for blocked shots. Section 2: <strong>Hannah Ault, Hampshire, G, Jr., 5-3</strong> - Hampshire features one player who played varsity last year and other starters who came up from junior varsity. Luckily for the Trojans, Ault knows her way around a big game. The junior brings a Tony Parker style game to the floor complete with teardrop shots in the lane. She knows how to make things happen and doesn’t shy away from stepping up when a fellow player misses time with an injury. Her leadership style is vocal and Hampshire coach Julianne Buckley says, "She’s a competitor and you can’t teach that because very few kids have that in them." Region II Section 1: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153386" first="Emily" last="Starn"], Fairmont Senior, G, Sr., 5-4 and Laynie Berisford, Fairmont Senior, G, Sr., 5-9</strong> - Other teammates standing out while playing alongside a pair of Division I players isn’t easy. That might be an understatement. However, [player_tooltip player_id="153386" first="Emily" last="Starn"] and Laynie Berisford make it look like a walk in the park. Each and every night they suit up next to [player_tooltip player_id="153370" first="Marley" last="Washenitz"] and [player_tooltip player_id="153399" first="Meredith" last="Maier"] and go about the business of being the nitty gritty pieces. They are two players you want on your side if you are chasing a state championship. They efficiently run the front of the Polar Bears press. They both average 11.5 points per game. They never complain about their roles or playing time, which can be entire games. If you are talking staple pieces, teams couldn’t do much better. Section 2: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="379486" first="Avery" last="Childers"], Robert C. Byrd, F, Jr., 5-10 -</strong> Byrd owns some big wins this year and Childers has been a big part of all of them. Perhaps the thing that stands out the most about the junior is her flair for the big moment. In an upset against No. 2 North Marion, she scored the team’s first 14 points on the way to 22. The great thing about her downlow is she’s confident and composed. She owns a pump fake that forces defenders to leave their feet and she hits her free throws. Even if people don’t fall for her fake, she can finish with her left hand. She’s a handful on the block. Region III Section 1: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153385" first="Hannah" last="Perdue"], PikeView, G, Sr., 5-6 - </strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153385" first="Hannah" last="Perdue"] will do whatever it takes to win a basketball game. If it means playing a beatdown, drag em out contest, then that is what she will do. She plays a lot like Bailey Goins. There are a lot of street ball moves and shots in her arsenal. It is a fun time watching Perdue on the basketball court. Coaches who enjoy running a less conventional offense should consider reaching out to the PikeView player. Section 2: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="384095" first="Kynna" last="Britton"], Sissonville, G, Fr., 5-10 - </strong>Britton’s ability to score in a multitude of different ways consistently is something other teams in the section just don’t have. Many groups also won’t be able to stop Britton with anything less than a double team. <img class=" wp-image-386124 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/Britton-II-220x300.jpg" alt="" width="118" height="161" />For that reason alone, someone else on the Indians will always be open and it will be up to Britton to find them. She also realizes when she can take over games and never hesitates to take command. That is hard to stop. Then when she gets going and feels her shot, well that can lead to a snowball effect. She doesn’t seem to be as streaky a shooter as others. That comes in handy in the postseason. Region IV Section 1: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="375427" first="Sophie" last="Nichols"], Ripley, SF, So., 5-11- </strong>[player_tooltip player_id="375427" first="Sophie" last="Nichols"]’ teammate McKenna Hall easily deserves strong consideration for this list. She’s a strong scorer and leads the team. <img class="size-medium wp-image-381895 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/Sophi-Nichols-202x300.jpg" alt="" width="202" height="300" />However, it appears the Vikings feed off everything Nichols does on the court. She hits a 3, they play a little harder. She swats a block; the group goes on a run. She shuts down an offensive player, everyone tries to make sure it doesn’t go to waste. Sure, she doesn’t lead the team in scoring every night. That’s because she’s usually seeing a team’s best defender. But she does so many other different things on the court, that when you take one thing away it isn’t a total killer. When you leave her open for points, though, she can get the shot quickly going and up. She squares up in minimal time and you always feel good her shots on target. Section 2: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="379526" first="Addie" last="Adkins"], Wayne, SF, Fr., 5-11</strong> - Extra possessions mean everything in the postseason. Points can be at a premium, and every board, every steal, and every miss matter. Luckily, the Pioneers have someone who cleans the class well in [player_tooltip player_id="379526" first="Addie" last="Adkins"]. Her ability grabbing boards is crucial in keeping the ball away from Logan and all-state first team player [player_tooltip player_id="153372" first="Peyton" last="Ilderton"] in the sectional championship game. The Pioneers also have four different players averaging right around 10 points, so it helps fuel their offense. Everyone knows what to expect out of [player_tooltip player_id="153402" first="Jasmine" last="Tabor"] and [player_tooltip player_id="379522" first="Brooke" last="Adkins"], add on Addie’s production and you have a solid team possibly state tournament bound.