Tourney Time: Day 1 Evening Game Standouts

Below are a few of the top performers from the evening games on day one at the state tournament:   Wheeling Central defeated Philip Barbour 78-48.    Blake is one of the best athletes in the state of WV! She scored the first 9 points for her team. She finishes exceptionally well through contact. She continues to finish around the rim with either hand. Kaitlyn is great at finishing the old-fashioned 3 point plays. She has an excellent touch around the rim. We really can't say enough great things about what Blake does on the court! Blake scored 21 first half points. She is the best rim runner in the state. She dominated this game! She finished the game with 37 points, shooting 15-19 from the field. She added 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in 25 minutes of action! In my opinion, this senior will lead her team to a state championship!     Despite the loss, Izzy played great. She was the offensive threat that her team needed her to be. The sophomore scored in double figure scoring in the first half and added to that total in the second half. She's a solid post player that rebounds exceptionally well too. Izzy went coast to coast a few times during this game. She finished the game with 22 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and 4 steals! The sensational sophomore is an athlete to keep your eyes on!     Payton had eight assists in the first half! Addie does a great job getting the ball inside. She understands the passing angles and puts the ball in the right spot for her teammates. Addie is a quick guard with a high motor! She works incredibly hard on both ends of the court. She finished the game with 9 points, 11 assists, and 7 steals!     Heller does an exceptional job at attacking downhill. She attacks the gaps and does a great job offensively. She is extremely active on the defensive end. She does a great job using her lateral quickness to stop opponents. She has an incredibly high motor. She finished the game with 17 points, 3 assists, and 6 steals! Heller and this Wheeling Central team is tough!    The next game, Nitro defeated Lewis County 62-34.    Cawley did a great job knocking down outside shots. She is one of the best shooters on this tough Nitro squad. If you leave Cawley open, count it. Brooklyn finished with 11 points. She shot 3-5 from the 3 point line! She also added 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the win! The sophomore guard is a shooter that you do not want to leave open!     In 15 minutes of action, Jones had 2 assists, 1 steal, 7 rebounds, and 10 points. Jones did a great job finishing around the rim. She went 4-5 from the field. She is a strong, physical inside presence that continues to play great minutes for this Nitro team. The inside strength with Jones, Smith, and Steele are hard to stop anywhere inside the paint area!     Ava led her team in scoring with 12 points. She was efficient on the floor, shooting 5-9. She also added 2 assists in the game. The senior guard has a good understanding of the game. Nitro will need this senior's leadership to keep advancing in the state tournament.    The night cap, James Monroe defeated Wyoming East 50-44.    Ava finished the game with 14 points. She communicates well on both sides of the ball. She has terrific leadership skills. The senior is a dependable athlete for this James Monroe squad! She plays under control and poised. When her team was down, she was there to have an answer. The Dunlap sisters have led their squad to numerous wins, and they added another one!     The young sophomore came prepared for this one! She led all scorers with 16 points. She was effective from anywhere on the court. She hit the mid-range, she poured in a pair of three's, and she scored around the rim. Mya has great length! She's a versatile athlete. She crushed the stats, she added 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals in the win! Dunlap hit one of the most crucial 3's in the game when she scored a beautiful one under the 2 minute mark in the 4th quarter. Mya has been exceptional all year, and it was no surprise that she was at her best on the biggest stage!     Blackburn hit numerous outside shots during the contest. She was able to create offense for herself and her teammates. She has a nice outside shot that she showcased. Blackburn is a guard that can run the point or play off the ball. She finished the game with 15 points, 5 rebounds, & 2 steals. Cadee's high school career is over, but she's a champion with numerous championships under her belt!     Start those chants James Monroe, "She's a freshman!" The freshman did exactly what her team needed! She was fantastic on the defensive end of the ball. Long led her team in steals. She finished the game with six steals! She was aggressive for the entirety of the game! I love her non-stop motor and defensive effort that she brings. The freshman finished the game with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 steals!     Boroski is the leader that has to remain on the court. She leads, guides, and puts her team in position to win! Pat Summitt once stated, "You might have an off-shooting night. But you should never have a bad night on defense and rebounding." Maggie finished the game with 10 rebounds, 5 steals, and 5 assists. She's an excellent ball handler. She is tough as nails! She's physical and she plays the game harder than most!

Below are a few of the top performers from the evening games on day one at the state tournament: