CHARLESTON — In what will be their 10th meeting in the past two seasons, the top two teams of the 2022-2023 season in Class AAAA girls’ basketball — Wheeling Park and Morgantown — will face off for a state championship Saturday morning in the capital city.
The Mohigans advanced to the finals by way of a 48-35 victory over Spring Valley in the semifinals on Thursday morning. The Patriots had to fend off a furious Spring Mills squad that built a double-digit lead by halftime. But the dynamic sophomore duo of Lala Woods and Gatorade Player of the Year Alexis Bordas led their team to the victory, combining for 47 of 59 total points in the game.
Last season, MHS won four of the five meetings between the two teams, but this season has been a little different. The Patriots have taken three out of four games between the two teams, the most recent being in the sectional championship.
“There’s not a whole lot of secrets on Saturday,” WP head coach Ryan Young said Thursday after the victory over Spring Mills. “We’ve had games in years past where we ended their run in the postseason, then the next year we were number on in the state and they upset us a home when we had a really good team. A rivalry isn’t just one team winning.”
MHS did well to hit the glass against SV, enjoying a 40-24 rebounding advantage. MHS head coach Doug Goodwin and his team are obviously aware of the offensive threat of Woods and Bordas and said defensive efficiency could write the story of the game.
“We have to be on point defensively and be patient,” Goodwin said Friday. “We have to be sure Woods and Bordas and (Natalie) Daugherty are covered and help side defense is where it needs to be.”
Daugherty scored 10 points of her own in the semifinals for the Patriots and can shoot from deep.
The Mohigans will look to use the advantage of junior center Lily Jordan down low, as she can score in waves and get to the foul line.
“We need to be more efficient finishing around the rim and be patient on the offensive side,” Goodwin said.
MHS and WP tip-off Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. from the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center for a shot at the Class AAAA state championship.
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