Parkersburg, WV

Winfield  

Parkersburg South

Phillips leads South to win

By JIM BUTTA, Parkersburg News & Sentinel

PARKERSBURG — No. 3 (Class AA) Winfield picked the wrong night to play their first game at the Rod Oldham Athletic Center.

Senior Taylor Phillips scored 19 of her game-high 22 points in the first half and the Generals (11-3) missed their last 11 shots of the first quarter as No. 3 (Class AAA) Parkersburg South posted an 80-60 victory Saturday.

"When she (Phillips) is hitting the three, she’s hard to stop," Parkersburg South head coach Scott Stephens said.

After Winfield jumped out to a one-point, 6-5, lead on a rebound bucket by former-Patriot Kelsey Griffith, Parkersburg South went on a 17-0 run over the final 5:20 to turn the game into a rout.

Making matters worse for the Generals was an 0-11 effort from the field.

"We were able to pressure their shooters and get some easy shots for ourselves," said Stephens. "A lot of our offense comes from our defense."

Winfield, which next plays at Point Pleasant, finally got its offense untracked in the second quarter. But every time the green and white would begin to make a run there was Phillips to put out the fire.

With Phillips, the Patriots only returning all-state player, leading the way the hosts went to the locker room at the intermission leading by 16, 41-25. Both teams took 30 shots from the field in the first 16 minutes. However, South knocked down half (15) of its attempts while the Generals were able to connect on only eight.

The visitors would make a short run at their triple-A opponent at the beginning of the second half, slicing the deficit to nine, 43-34, on a pair of free throws by Griffith, who bucketed 12 points in her first game back at ROAC.

But, a triple from Danielle Floyd, who finished with 14 points, ignited an 11-0 run by the hosts and Winfield would never recover.

"We played about as well as we’ve played all year in that first quarter," continued the South coach. "We’ve been playing better and I’d say we are about where we were at this time a year ago."

A year which ended with the Patriots bringing the Class AAA trophy back to the southside after a stunning victory over Morgantown in the championship game at the Charleston Civic Center.

In addition to Phillips and Floyd, Parkersburg South received double-digit performances out of Ali Morris (15) and Stephens (11).

Winfield was led by Katelyn Cloxton’s 19 points and Brittany Lee’s 16. The Generals will have to play their next two games without head coach Paul Sutherland, who was ejected from the contest with 3:15 remaining to be played.

Girls Basketball Round-Up, Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail

Also hitting double figures in scoring for Parkersburg South were Ali Morris (15), Danielle Floyd (14) and Stephens (11). The Patriots are ranked No. 3 in Class AAA.

Winfield (11-3), ranked No. 3 in AA, received 19 points from Katie Cloxton and 16 from Brittany Lee. Winfield missed its final 11 shots of the first quarter.

Generals coach Paul Sutherland was ejected with 3:15 left in the game and must sit out the next two contests.