Parkersburg, WV - Tabitha Ball scored a career high 22 points as Parkersburg High upset cross-town rival Parkersburg South in sectional girls basketball play on Thursday night.     Ball dwarfed the Patriot guards and took advantage of South's help defense in the paint scoring several uncontested baskets.

The Lady Patriots went ahead 5-0 after Heidi Floyd hit a 3-pointer early in the game.   Parkersburg then went on a 13-2 run before coach Steve Wiseman called time-out at the 3:10 mark.   Ball scored 8 points in the stretch with Offenberger adding 3 points and Wherry scoring 2.   Lauren Blair converted an offensive put-back for South's only marks of the stretch.   

After the stop in play, Ice Ibrahim hit a 3-pointer from the top to cut the deficit to 13-10.    Ball would score again on the next possession to make it 15-10.    Stephanie Blanc grabbed an offensive rebound and score after Jill Stephens missed two foul shots.   The two teams combined for 5 turnovers the remainder of the quarter to keep the score at 15-12, Parkersburg.

South scored the first 7 points of the third quarter to gain a 19-15 advantage.   After a PHS time-out, both teams scored to make the score 22-17 (South).    Stephanie Blanc found Heidi Floyd for a 3-pointer for South while the Big Red's Jessie Offenberger slashed through the lane for two points.

Ball converted a put-back and Blanc hit a 3-pointer to make the score 25-19 with 1:35 left in the half.   Parkersburg would end the quarter with a 4-0 run on consecutive baskets by Ball and Wherry.      South led 25-23 at half-time.

Parkersburg picked up two baskets to start the 4th, taking a 27-25 lead.   Alyssa Rhodes scored a basket and Ball finished another putback for the Big Reds.   Jill Stephens scored South's first bucket of the quarter under the 6:00 mark to tie the game at 27.   Sizemore and Ball would both score to maintain the tie at 29 all.   

Stephens added another basket, but Woods and Ball each scored one as 3 of South's starters rested on the bench.    The Big Reds took a 33-31 lead into the final period.

Parkersburg called a time-out at 5:13 after South put together a 6-2 run to start the period.   South led 37-35 at the time.    After Corrie Sizemore grabbed the defensive board to start the quarter for South, Floyd found Stephens underneath for 2 points.   Wherry responded on the other end with a deuce of her own.   Corrie Sizemore nailed a base-line jumper at 6:08.   The Big Reds turned the ball over at 5:55 as Tabbi Ball stepped out of bounds under the basket.   Lauren Blair missed her first put-back attempt before making a second to give South the 37-35 lead.   Parkersburg called time-out at 5:13.

Sizemore scored a basket and Offenberger answered to keep the South lead at two points, 39-37.   The Patriots failed to convert on their next two possessions, while Wherry found the basket for 2 points.   South called time-out at 2:54 with a 39 all score.

Out of the time-out, the Lady Patriot's last score came from Heidi Floyd assisted by Ibrahim.   After a couple of time-outs, the Big Red's Ball scored a basket to tie the game again.   The Patriots turned the ball over on their final possession and Wood's buzzer shot failed to reach iron as the game expired.

The Big Reds won the tip and Alicia Woods would score to give PHS a 43-41 lead.   South missed a shot in it's ensuing possession and the Big Reds came away with the ball.  Wherry was called for a travel at 2:41.    On the South possession, a swarm of Big Reds converged on Stephens on the left block and swatted away a shot.   

PHS recovered and ran off the final two minutes of the game.   The Patriots entered the bonus with just two team fouls and had to use time to accumulate fouls.

Offenberger would give South a chance when she missed the front end of a 1-1 opportunity with 0:07.4 to play.   South brought the ball down the floor quickly but momentum stopped when a foul was called on Offenberger as she mugged Stephanie Blanc on the baseline.  

A last second shot failed to touch the rim as the buzzer expired.

Parkersburg South    12   13     6   10   0   =  41

Parkersburg              15     8   10     8   2   =  43

South Scoring:   Blair 10, Floyd 8, Sizemore 6, Ibrahim 6, Stephens 6, Blanc 5.

PHS Scoring:   Ball 22, Wherry 8, Offenberger 7, Woods 4, Cobb 2.

South Statistics:   Rebounds, 17 (Blair 5, Sizemore 4);  Assists, 14 (Floyd 6);  Steals, 8 (Ibrahim 3);  Turnovers, 16;   Field Goal Shooting, 18-39 (46.2%);   3-Point Field Goal Shooting, 5-15 (33%).