BECKLEY — Woodrow Wilson coach Ron Kidd will never admit that losing a game is a good thing. Especially if it’s to Greenbrier East in the Class AAA, Region 3, Section 2 championship game.

But that’s exactly what happened Friday, when the Spartans made an emphatic statement with a 74-61 win at Oak Hill’s Lilly Center.

“It’s tough, we never like to lose,” Kidd said. “But I feel the way East played, you’ve got to give them credit. I hate that we lost it, we don’t like to lose but they deserved to win because of the way they played. They stepped up when they had to and they did everything right. They played with a toughness and we didn’t match it.”

That said, Kidd feels the Flying Eagles (10-11) might have gotten a break by drawing Capital in tonight’s 7 p.m. Class AAA Region 3 co-final at Capital High School.

“I feel like we do match up better with Capital than we do George Washington,” Kidd said. “George Washington is way bigger than we are inside. They have good guards, too. But Capital is a little more like we are.”

Kidd knows it won’t be easy, though. After all, Capital (18-4) beat Woodrow Wilson 76-56 earlier this season at Capital.

Same floor.

Kidd is hoping for a different result.

While it was a 20-point game, Kidd is quick to point out that the Flying Eagles led at the half, 36-34, and also won the fourth quarter.

The difference was a 33-7 Capital advantage in the third quarter.

“They turned up the intensity, they played hard and tough,” in the third quarter, the coach said. “They came out in the third quarter and said ‘Let’s go up another level on the elevator.’ That’s the way it looked to me.”

As a result, Kidd has been working on sharpening his team’s calling card — defense — as well as working on limiting the team’s turnovers.

“Our kids know they have got to take care of the ball for us to have a chance to win this game,” Kidd said. “I feel like all the games we have lost at this point have come because of our turnovers. It’s been a thorn in our side all season.”

Capital has been a thorn in the Eagles’ side lately as well, led by three-year starter Sam Jones. Jones doesn’t average double figures but he had 11 points in the first game.

Tommy Gwinn (12.0), Mark Hale (11.6) and George Burkes (11.1) lead the Cougars in scoring.

There are times during tonight’s regional final when Woodrow will have a freshman — Andrew Johnson — and as many as four sophomores on the floor. It’s been that way since Woodrow lost four of its top eight players at the semester break.

“But we aren’t using that as an excuse,” Kidd said. “Our freshman has played, he should consider himself a sophomore now. Our sophomores should think of themselves as juniors. It’s another season and right now we’re just trying to punch our ticket to the state tournament.”

The two leading scorers for the Eagles are both sophomores, Cameron Shannon (13.9) and Larry Terry (9.8).

Shannon was a starter as a freshman last season.

“He’s a leader for us,” Kidd said. “He leads by example. He plays the game the way he practices. And he lays it on the line every day in practice.

“Larry Terry has been a surprise. We always knew he could shoot. He just needs to become a better defensive player.”

Kidd is not counting out his team tonight.

“We told them that we outscored them at the half and to go down and build on that and play with confidence,” he said. “I like our chances. I really do. Anything can happen.”