State Tournament Day 3: Morning Session Standouts
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Mackenna Halfin, Philip Barbour, F, 6-0, So. – Can you smell that rebound? Mackenna Halfin sure can. She really has a nose for collecting caroms. Someone actually might want to get her nose checked. When it come to her abilities,…
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Continue ReadingMackenna Halfin, Philip Barbour, F, 6-0, So. – Can you smell that rebound? Mackenna Halfin sure can. She really has a nose for collecting caroms. Someone actually might want to get her nose checked. When it come to her abilities, they are uncommonly good. She seems to understand where the ball is going before it hits the rim. She knows where to position herself for the best possible corral. Most importantly, she avoids a box out like the plague. When you think you have her out of the action, she uses her long limbs and instincts to collect the board anyway. Just look at her line from the Colts upset of East Fairmont. In 30 minutes, she pulled down 15 boards, including eight offensive rebounds.
Mattie Marsh, Philip Barbour, F, 5-6, Sr. – Does Mattie Marsh want to play another game at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center? I think Marsh just might want to play another game in the state capital. At least, that takeaway is the only logical thing to surmise after her performance against East Fairmont. She was methodical. She was greedy. She was a double-double. Yes, oh, yes. Boards were collected. Points were scored. It all turned out very well. For the game, she tallied 15 points, 11 boards, an assist, a block and five steals.
Kynna Britton Kynna Britton 5'10" | CG Sissonville | 2025 State WV , Sissonville, W, 5-10, So. – How big was Kynna Britton Kynna Britton 5'10" | CG Sissonville | 2025 State WV in Sissonville’s win over Wayne? Huge. She put all her talents on display as the Indians pulled the upset. The biggest thing to take away from the game was her improved poise and attitude toward tight defenses. Where she once feared and even grew annoyed at teams that played her tough, she’s learned to handle herself well in those situations and her overall game has improved. She’s really made herself into a better basketball player in a year’s time and it showed against the Pioneers. She excelled at a number of different things when her team needed her. She scored 16 points to go along with 7 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals in her group’s 49-45 victory.
Haley Jarrett, Sissonville, SF, 5-11, Sr. – Kynna Britton Kynna Britton 5'10" | CG Sissonville | 2025 State WV made a pretty solid case for team MVP in her group’s win over Sissonville. Right? Right. And she would have been the MVP as well, if it wasn’t for that clutch Haley Jarrett. Yes. The senior eclipsed her teammate with the biggest shot of her career. With 41 seconds left, she stayed at home beyond the arc, received a skip pass from teammate Madison McCutcheon and BOOM!!! She sent the Indians’ contingent into a frenzy. She connected on the game-winning 3 with 41 seconds left in the game before Sissonville buckled down and withstood a furious final effort from the Pioneers. Yet, none of it would have been necessary if Jarrett hadn’t hit the shot.
Lindsay Bechtel, Morgantown, G, 5-7, Sr. – When you talk about a jill-of-all-trades, Bechtel fits the bill. She really fits the bill. She does a little bit of everything, but perhaps her best quality comes in her ability to turn on her scoring whenever she’s needed. On a team with consistent scorers in Lily Jordan Lily Jordan 6'0" | PF Morgantown | 2024 State WV , Mia Henkins, and Sofia Wassick Sofia Wassick 5'7" | PG Morgantown | 2024 State WV , it can often be hard finding your shot at a moment’s notice. Bechtel does it with aplomb. Seriously. Her latest performance at the state tournament showed as much. Her 19 points made a giant difference in a low-scoring game against Spring Valley.