TuckerCountySports.Com
CHARLESTON – The #3 Tucker County Girls’ Basketball team opened State Tournament play at the Charleston Civic Center on Thursday March 8th against #6 Magnolia. The Lady Mt. Lions started out slow, but the team finished strong as they cruised to a 66-35 first round win.
Tucker County got off to a slow start as Magnolia built a 6 point lead with 5:20 left in the first quarter. The Lady Mt. Lions then finished the quarter on an 8-0 run as Tucker County led after one quarter 11-9. The second quarter would show the ability of the Tucker County defense. The Lady Mt. Lions outscored the Blue Eagles 19-6 in the second and scored 9 points off turnovers to push the Tucker County lead to 30-15 at the half.
The Lady Mt. Lions defense continued to force turnovers in the third quarter as Tucker County scored 6 points off turnovers and got 6 points from their bench to make the score 44-29 after three. Tucker County then exploded in the fourth with 16 points off turnovers and outpaced the Blue Eagles 22-6 in the period to make the final score 66-35 Tucker County.
The Lady Mt. Lions were led in scoring by Sydney Nestor with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 6 steals and Dominique Meadows added 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals for Tucker County in the win. Kelcee James chipped in 6 points, 6 rebounds and Cecily Strawderman had 6 points, 5, assists, 5 steals for the Lady Mt. Lions in the win. Tucker County forced Magnolia into 33 turnovers and the Lady Mt. Lions collected 25 steals in the victory. Tucker County also got 37 points off turnovers and got 22 bench points in the win.
CHARLESTON – The #3 Lady Mt. Lions took on #2 Wheeling Central in the Final Four Semi-Final game on Friday March 9th. Tucker County fought hard but fell in the contest by the final score of 63-46.
The first quarter was back and forth as Tucker County scored the first 4 points, but the Maroon Knights battled back to lead by 8 12-4 with 5:01 left in the first quarter. Tucker County fought back to make the score 18-14 Wheeling Central after one quarter of play. The Maroon Knights built on their lead in the second as they outscored the Lady Mt. Lions 14-8 in the second to give Wheeling Central a 32-22 halftime lead.
The third quarter showed the Maroon Knights lead growing to 17 points with 3:26 left in the third. Tucker County would fight back as they outscored Wheeling Central 8-3 to end the quarter and make the score 48-36 Wheeling Central after three quarters. The Lady Mt. Lions started the fourth quarter on a 5-0 run that cut the Maroon Knights lead to 48-41 with 6:02 left in the contest. Tucker County would get no closer as Wheeling Central went on a 15-5 run the rest of the game to pick up the win by the final score of 63-46 Wheeling Central.
Sydney Nestor led Tucker County with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals and Terra Kuhn added 8 points. McKinley Murphy chipped in 5 points and Cecily Strawderman had 5 assists, 6 steals.
Tucker County ended the season with a 24-2 record. Wheeling Central went on to win the Class “A” Championship on Saturday March 10th with a 67-62 win over Huntington St. Joe. Tucker County’s Sydney Nestor earned a spot on the Class “A” State Tournament All-Tournament Team. A Special Thanks to Seniors: Sydney Nestor, Sydney Moore, Cecily Strawderman and Dominique Meadows for their successful basketball careers at TCHS. For more info go to TuckerCountySports.Com.