Highlanders smother Grizzlies

By Dan Stillwell

After playing a predominantly Class AA schedule, squaring off with Class AAA No. 2 Huntington was a tall order for Nicholas County.

Too tall.

Too quick and too athletic as well.

Huntington (15-1) started its quest for a fourth consecutive Mountain State Coal Classic title by holding Nicholas to four first-half points on the way to a 64-19 victory Monday afternoon at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.

“We started the game out extremely intimidated,” said Grizzlies coach Tom McGirl, whose team was held scoreless until Hillary Young made a stickback at the 4:25 mark of the second quarter. “We were really scared and it obviously hurt our execution.”

Nicholas (6-3) not only shot the ball poorly (2-of-27 from the floor in the first half, 7-of-53 for the game), but made turnover after turnover against the quick Highlander defense.

Huntington forced 21 first-half turnovers, making 14 steals, in moving to a 34-4 lead.

The state runner-up last season, Huntington replaced three starters and apparently hasn’t missed a beat.

“If we come in and get going on all cylinders, we can be pretty good,” coach Lonnie Lucas said. “The last eight games I’ve been real pleased with them as a team.”

The Highlanders’ only loss was 66-57 to Class AAA No. 1 Parkersburg South, another Coal Classic team.

“We lost that one right after Christmas. We weren’t playing very well,” Lucas said. “Right now we’re playing better than we were a month ago.”

Surprisingly, Huntington had an off-night shooting against Nicholas, going 0-12 from 3-point range and 26-of-75 from the floor.

The Highlanders came out flat in the second half and Nicholas scored nine of the first 11 points.

“We looked more like ourselves,” McGirl said.

Nicole Eubank’s fast break bucket broke the ice at the 4:06 mark, however, and Huntington completed a 12-0 run to end the period.

Logan Clark led Huntington with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Reserve center Talequia Hamilton scored 11 points and grabbed 11 boards while Whitney Bays and Erin Bailes added 10 points apiece.

Paige Hall and Hillary Young each scored five points for the Grizzlies. Young also had nine rebounds

“An experience like this can only help you down the road,” McGirl said. “We’re still breathing.”

Nicholas will play the loser of Wednesday’s Greenbrier East-Midland Trail game at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the second round.

Huntington advances to a 9:15 p.m. Friday semifinal against the East-Trail winner.

Nicholas County (6-3)

Morgan Elswick 2-10 0-0 4, Madison Martin 0-2 0-1 0, Alexis Shearer 0-7 1-2 1, Cierra Harvey 1-5 0-0 2, Morgan Martin 1-10 0-1 2, Paige Hall 1-6 3-4 5, Carolyn Symes 0-1 0-0 0, Rachel Gregory 0-2 0-0 2, Kelly Johnson 0-2 0-0 0, Hillary Young 2-8 1-2 5. Totals: 7-53 5-10 19.

Huntington (15-1)

Nicole Eubank 3-1 0-0 6, Whitney Bays 5-11 0-0 10, Nicole Madison 0-6 0-0 0, Logan Clark 6-13 2-2 14, Erin Bailes 2-8 6-9 10, Sarah Cummings 0-2 1-2 1, Leah Ching 0-5 0-0 0, Heather Eubank 1-3 2-2 4, Brittany Eubank 0-1 0-0 0, Sam Spurlock 4-6 0-1 8, Talequia Hamilton 5-9 1-3 11. Totals: 26-75 12-19 64.

NC 0 4 9 6 — 19

H 18 16 18 12 — 64

Three-point goals: NC: 0-17 (Elswick 0-1, Martin 0-1, Shearer 0-4, Martin 0-4, Hall 0-4, Symes 0-1, Gregory 0-2); H: 0-12 (N. Eubank 0-2, Bays 0-1, Bailes 0-4, Ching 0-2, B. Eubank 0-1, Spurlock 0-1); Fouled out: None.㡯