(Game highlights)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With 4 seconds to play in Saturday’s Class A title game, Cameron freshman Maci Neely had made 1-of-9 field-goal attempts and scored three points against No. 1 Gilmer County.
Her second basket of the game will live forever in West Virginia high school basketball lore.
After the Dragons’ Ashlynn Van Tassell converted a pair of free throws to tie the game at 50, Emilee Dobbs tipped an Emma Taylor inbound pass that wound up in the hands of Neely, who swished a 3-pointer as time expired to lift Cameron to an improbable 53-50 victory at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.
“It’s every kid’s dream. Luckily, Emilee Dobbs tipped the inbound pass into Maci’s hands and Maci’s great at that stepback three,” Cameron head coach Holly Pettit said. “She had not shot the ball well to that point, but we’ll take that three to win the championship.”
Tied at 50 until @chsladydragons Maci Neely steals the inbounds pass and hits a 3 as time expires. Cameron H.S. wins the West Virginia Class A title, 53-50, over Gilmer County. @CHSgirlsbbcoach #wvgirlsbb #SCTop10 @SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/KDDx8n4WDX
— MetroNews HS Sports (@MetroNewsPrep) March 12, 2022
The second-seeded Dragons (24-4) claimed their first title in grand fashion against a team they lost to by 33 points back on December 10.
“After we played Gilmer the last time, I remember saying in the locker room, ‘I want to play them again,’ because we knew we had the talent and personnel to compete with them,” Pettit said. “Teams have to peak at the right time and I don’t think we peaked until two weeks ago.”
As for the Titans’ approach after Van Tassell tied it, Gilmer County head coach Amy Chapman was hopeful they could get the ball to a guard and get off a shot before time expired.
“I told them once we get it in, we need to go attack the rim and we had enough time to get a decent look at it,” Chapman said.
The opportunity never came about as a result of the turnover that led to Neely’s swish.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Neely, who could hardly find the words to describe her game-winning shot.
It was a back-and-forth affair that featured Gilmer County (24-3) overcoming a 40-32 deficit late in the third quarter with 11 unanswered points.
That stretch featured triples from Taylor and Trinity Bancroft, the latter of which put the Titans on top by three after Bancroft had also tied it with a jumper.
The Dragons jumped back in front courtesy of a Dobbs jumper and Van Tassell’s layup to lead 44-43 with 4:23 remaining.
The teams continued to trade leads, with Taylor’s triple enabling the Titans to go back on top, before the Dragons went in front 48-47 on the strength of Aubre Cain-Loy’s layup with 2:34 to play.
Bancroft’s conventional three-point play allowed GCHS to go on top 50-48 with 1 minute left, though the Titans were unable to extend that lead with 29 seconds remaining when Allie Ellyson missed the front end of a 1-and-1.
(Postgame ‘Round of Sound’)
Gilmer made only 7-of-16 free throws and was 5 of 11 at the line in the fourth quarter.
“The foul shooting at the end was definitely a key factor for us,” Chapman said. “If we could’ve made our layups, we could’ve been comfortable in this game. Unfortunately, there’s a winner and a loser.”
Van Tassell and Kenzie Clutter were both off the mark on the Dragons’ ensuing possession, though they rebounded each other’s misses, which allowed Van Tassell to go to the free-throw line with 4 seconds remaining.
She made the first, but before attempting the second, the Titans called a timeout.
“I was losing my mind thinking about every good and bad situation,” Van Tassell said.
It did nothing to cause trouble for the sophomore, who led all players with 27 points and 19 rebounds and finished with 76 points and 63 rebounds over three state tournament contests.
“I had all the confidence in the world she would make them” Pettit said.
Neither team led by more than five in the first half. Cameron held a 15-10 lead less than 15 seconds into the second quarter, but the Titans outscored the Dragons 16-8 over the remainder of the half to lead 26-23 at the break. Ten of Gilmer County’s 16 second-quarter points were scored off turnovers, while 18 of its 26 in the opening half were scored in that fashion.
Cameron jumped in front 31-30 at the 5-minute mark of the third quarter on an Ashlee Dobbs layup, and after two Taylor free throws allowed GCHS to lead, the Dragons rattled off nine straight points, seven of which Van Tassell scored.
“We knew coming in we had a size advantage, but [Gilmer County’s Malysia Morgan] can jump,” Pettit said. “We also knew if we shot the basketball, Ashlynn was going to be there to rebound the basketball.”
Van Tassell made 11-of-18 field-goal attempts and 5-of-6 free throws. Ashlee Dobbs added 11 points to give the Dragons a second double-figure scorer.
Cameron held a 45-27 rebounding advantage that helped allow the Dragons overcome 29 turnovers to the Titans’ 13.
“To win a state championship without a senior on the team is something to be proud of,” Pettit said. “It shows how hard these girls work and how bad they want it.”
Bancroft and Taylor led the Titans with 19 and 16 points, respectively, in what marked the final game of their high school careers. Taylor also had a team-high seven boards.
“Hats off to Cameron,” Chapman said. “That was a good battle from start to finish and we’re happy for them. My players and my seniors are tough. don’t worry about these seniors. They’re resilient and they’ll bounce back and conquer the world after they graduate.”
FINAL STATS FROM CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP
Class A all-tournament team
Kadie Colebank, Tucker County
Taylor McHenry, Gilmer County
Kaylea Baisden, Tug Valley
Kenzie Clutter, Cameron
Trinity Bancroft, Gilmer County
Sydney Baird, Webster County
Emma Taylor, Gilmer County
Ashlynn Van Tassell, Cameron
(Cameron postgame press conference)
(Gilmer County postgame press conference)
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'Every kid's dream': Neely's triple at buzzer propels Cameron to 53-50 victory over Gilmer County in Class A final - West Virginia MetroNews
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