Standouts from Day 1 of the WVSSAC state tourney
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Kadie Colebank Kadie Colebank 6'1" | PF Tucker County | 2023 State WV , Tucker County, C, Jr., 6-1 – Kadie Colebank Kadie Colebank 6'1" | PF Tucker County | 2023 State WV showed strong resolve in a dogfight against…
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Continue ReadingKadie Colebank Kadie Colebank 6'1" | PF Tucker County | 2023 State WV , Tucker County, C, Jr., 6-1 – Kadie Colebank Kadie Colebank 6'1" | PF Tucker County | 2023 State WV showed strong resolve in a dogfight against Tug Valley. Dealing with a physical defender in the Panthers’ Autumn Hall, Colebank collected herself and overcame a shaky first half to finish with 16 points and a new Class A record of 25 rebounds.
Her moves to the basket and through defenders were strong. She also showed good shot selection in a game full of poor shooting. Oh, and she sank the free throws that sent the Mountain Lions onto the Class A semifinals.
Kennedy Kaposy Kennedy Kaposy 5'6" | CG Petersburg | 2023 State WV , Petersburg, G, Jr., 5-7 – In a battle of two teams playing for the fourth time, Kaposy once again made her mark on defense.
But that wasn’t all.
With her team needing a bit of an offensive bump, the junior showed off a scoring game unlike what she’d shown previously in the season. When she wasn’t jumping in the passing lanes and racing down the court in transition, she showed a patient approach with her shot selection. Coaches interested in a strong defensive kid should take a look at this young lady.
Arin Lease, Frankfort, Post, Jr., 5-10 – Lease shows the beginnings of a promising post-game.
She still requires work on her ball-handling skills like many bigs.
However, she’s quick on her feet and swiftly moves around the paint. That helps her cut off defenders and gives her a mismatch against slower post players. Continued improvement on her handles may even give her an edge against quicker defenders. She’s a solid rebounder, who also hits her free throws.
Ashlynn Van Tassell, Cameron, C, So., 6-3 – Ashlynn Van Tassell remains a handful in the paint area. If she misses her first shot, she’s getting a second shot because she understands position placement and knows how to use her long arms.
She causes a lot of problems for smaller teams and even some bigger teams.
The latest example came against River View Tuesday. Van Tassell set the overall state tournament record for rebounds in a game with 31. She also scored 29 points and stole the ball five times. Perhaps the most impressive part of her state line though read 20 offensive rebounds.
Carrah Ferguson Carrah Ferguson 5'7" | PG Gilmer County | 2022 State WV , Gilmer County, PG, Sr., 5-7 – Just call Carrah Ferguson Carrah Ferguson 5'7" | PG Gilmer County | 2022 State WV Ms. Efficient.
There is no better nickname – none.
Making the most of her minutes is the name of her game. That was exactly what she did Tuesday night in Gilmer’s state tournament opener. With her seeing the floor for only seven minutes, she ended up stuffing the stat sheet. Her tallies read 13 points, 6 boards, 2 assists, and four steals in just 15 minutes. Quite the night, indeed.
Leslie Huffman Leslie Huffman 5'9" | CG Parkersburg Catholic | 2022 State WV , Parkersburg Catholic, CG, Sr., 5-10 – Vintage Leslie Huffman Leslie Huffman 5'9" | CG Parkersburg Catholic | 2022 State WV showed up at the state tournament Tuesday evening.
All the classics came out such as her stifling defense, all-over-the-court scoring, and the headaches she usually causes for all teams. She poured in 27 points, shot 9 of 13 from the field including 5 of 6 from 3, pulled down four boards, dished out 10 assists, and picked off nine passes.
It hit all the right notes. It rang all the right bells. It couldn’t have been anything but exactly what PC coach Marty Vierheller hoped for. About the only thing that went wrong, well there wasn’t anything that went wrong. Yes, there were zero turnovers. There were zero negatives in general. Understandably, her third straight trip to the tournament steeled her against any nerves. The lights just aren’t as bright. Shooters can see the rim. Minds are quieted. Performance is ramped up to maximum levels. Everything meshed together into the perfect evening for the Crusaderette senior.