WINFIELD — Winning this two-game holiday tournament was a big accomplishment for Parkersburg South, its coach had to admit.

The Patriots won the championship game of the Winfield Winter Classic girls basketball tournament Saturday night, knocking off host Winfield 74-50.

“This is a good start to a young season,” said first-year South coach Scott Stephens. “We’re very happy winning this tournament. We knew we’d have to work hard to get it, because we were playing against two of the best players in the state.”

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Jill Stephens, a first-team Class AAA all-state choice as a sophomore last season, scored a game-high 33 points, with 21 coming in the first half as South rolled out to a 50-28 halftime advantage.

The 6-foot-3 junior center showed offensive versatility, scoring in the paint with her back to the basket while being fed by the Patriot guards or by receiving fast-break passes and converting them into easy layups.

“Our big girls run the floor real well,” said Scott Stephens. “They can get up and down on offense and defense.”

A 19-5 South run in the final five minutes of the first half gave the Patriots the cushion they needed to hold off the Generals.

“We got a butt-whooping tonight,” admitted Winfield coach Paul Sutherland. “South is a great team, but I was disappointed that our girls didn’t think we could win. This may be the worst game that Winfield’s played since I’ve been here.”

Three other Patriots scored in double figures. Lauren Blair, a 6-1 senior post player, pumped in 13, including 11 in the first half. Heidi Floyd and Brittany Harvey chipped in with 10 each.

“Lauren had a bunch in the first quarter,” said Scott Stephens. “She stepped up early and that kept [Winfield] honest, so they had to respect her and not key on Jill.”

Winfield’s all-state player had a big night. Senior guard Karah Cloxton pounded in 29 points, including seven 3-pointers — many from very long-range.

“Cloxton can flat-out play,” said Scott Stephens. “She doesn’t need a 3-point line — she just needs to be in the area code.”

Cloxton has signed with the University of Dayton.

Sutherland was quick to praise South’s Jill Stephens.

“We didn’t have an answer for her,” he said. “She’s good. We had a plan to get someone in front and back. But when she got the ball, no one was in back.”

Winfield’s performance in the second half pleased Sutherland. The Generals were only outscored 13-11 in the third quarter, while keeping pace at 11-all in the fourth.

“We played much harder in the second half,” Sutherland said. “South was getting the loose balls and all the rebounds in the first half, and we got them in the second.”

South advanced to the tournament championship by defeating Mercer Christian 83-67 Friday.