MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Last year, the relatively youthful and inexperienced Morgantown girls’ basketball team upset Wheeling Park in the then-Class AAA Region I co-final to qualify for the state tournament, a result coach Jason White described as “playing with house money.”
But that was then, and even in this challenging, unpredictable season, the expectations surrounding MHS have been rather lofty and thus far, the Mohigans have not disappointed. Of course, it’s now “win-or-go-home” time, so Wednesday night’s regional championship game at home against Buckhannon-Upshur was like every game from now on — an upset-avoiding must have.
When defense shows up, upsets usually leave town, and the Mohigans’ defense was nothing short of suffocating, limiting the Buccaneers to eight field goals and single digit points in all four quarters in a dominating 51-24 win.
While Morgantown (11-2) struggled a bit offensively coming out of the COVID-19 pause in its 41-32 win against Wheeling Park last week, the Mohigans’ half-court passing game was crisp and clean against B-U (9-7). Swinging the ball on the perimeter opened up outside looks for Cat Wassick, as well as inside post up opportunities for center Kaitlyn Ammons. The pair combined for 25 first-half points (Ammons finished with a game-high 17, with Wassick adding 13) as MHS opened up a 19-6 first quarter lead, and extended it to 38-15 at the break.
Buckhannon-Upshur was able to score only from beyond the arc in the first three quarters, hitting six 3s, but they could not solve the MHS denial defense all night long, scoring just three points in the third quarter and nine second-half points in total. Perhaps the biggest eruption from the MHS bench was when senior Reece Moore buried a 3 in the third quarter.
After the win, a happy, emotional Ammons credited her fellow seniors, Wassick, Moore and Berit Johnson, and the whole team, for earning the title and the trip to Charleston.
“We all worked so hard and did our jobs all year,” she said, realizing it was her “last game in this gym. We thought we had the potential to win the region, and we want to do more. Defense has been a priority all season, and I think we’re starting to really play well as a team. We’ve played a strong schedule, and I believe that we have not gotten anywhere near playing our best game yet.”
Her coach agreed.
“I wish I could have a dozen more games with this group, because they are just starting to figure out how to play their best defensively,” White said, the championship net draped over his shoulders. “Great offensive nights come and go, but great defense — especially great defensive effort — can come to play every night. We denied the first pass very well today, and that takes teams out of their comfort zone. We will need that to advance, and I really like how Kat and Kaitlyn are playing and leading us.”
The Mohigans’ quest for another state title, hoping to be their first since 2016, begins at the state tournament at 9 p.m. April 29 against Wheeling Park in the first round. MHS will be the Class 4A No. 4 seed, while Park is No. 5.
BUCKHANNON-UPSHUR (9-7)
Shelby McDaniels 3 0-0 8 Kenna Maxwell 3 0-0 9 McKenzie Reynolds 2 0-0 5 Kennedy Samargo 0 2-2 2 Totals 8 2-2 24
MORGANTOWN (11-2)
Lindsey Bechtel 3 0-0 6 Kat Wassick 5 0-0 13 Mia Henkins 1 0-0 3 Berit Johnson 1 0-0 3 Sophia Wassick 2 0-0 4 Ravaya Sweeney 1 0-0 2 Katelyn Ammons 6 4-4 17 Reece Moore 1 0-0 3 Kate Hawkins 0 0-2 0 Totals 20 4-6 51
B-U 6 9 3 6 – 24
MHS 19 19 11 2 – 51
3-pointers: BU 6 (Maxwell 3, McDaniels 2, Reynolds), MHS 7 (Wassick 3, Moore, Hawkins, Johnson, Ammons)
