WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS- This weekend, Jan. 30-31, the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur will play host to the fourth annual Battle for the Springhouse basketball tournament which features four of the best boys’ and girls’ teams–eight total–in the state from separate classes.
On Friday, Jan. 30 the Morgantown and Parkersburg girls will open the tourney at 2:00PM. Morgantown is Class AAAA’s 4th ranked team and come in at 10-3 on the season so far. They are led by Maddie Ancell who averages 15.7 points per game. Their best player, junior Kayli Kellogg, has missed all season after suffering an injury over the summer. She is the daughter of WVU women’s basketball coach Mark Kellogg.
The Big Reds of Parkersburg (Class AAAA’s 3rd ranked team) will present quite a challenge for the Lady Mohigans. They are 9-3 and led by Francis Guice (16.6 ppg), Kennedy Porter (14.9), and Lauren Flanagan (13.5). Parkersburg has actually already defeated Morgantown this year when they won on the road 56-38 just three weeks ago and are considered a legitimate state championship contender.
Following the lady’s showdown is another big-time matchup in the boy’s division between the Bridgeport Indians (AAAA #2) and the Wyoming East Warriors (AA #2) at 4:00 PM. The Indians, led in scoring by Ayron Dodd (15.3 ppg) and Anderson McDougal (15.0), had a 25-game win streak this season snapped and actually lost two in a row, including to Greenbrier East, but since then they have reeled off eight wins in a row and have run their record to 9-2. During that win streak, Bridgeport has allowed only 37 points per game to their opponents and scored 67.2.
The Warriors are a skilled team that excel with fundamentals and hold impressive wins this year over Bluefield and James Monroe.
The hometown teams will highlight the evening contests as both the Greenbrier East Spartans and Lady Spartans continue their appearances in the heralded tourney.
The boys will play James Monroe (8-3) in a border rivalry game at 6:00 PM. The Spartans enter the Springhouse with a record of 8-3 and ranked 6th in Class AAA. The AA #4 Mavs will provide a stiff challenge with Kadyn Hines, Lane Taylor, and Ryan Man. East’s Brody Hamric and Nathan Dixon lead a Greenbrier East team that has good wins over Woodrow Wilson, Bridgeport, and Shady Spring and many believe this is the Spartans’ best chance to make noise in Charleston in March.
The undefeated and #1 ranked Lady Spartans (14-0) will cap the evening against Riverside. East has not played a game closer than 12 points since their season opening victory over number 3 John Marshall. Ava Workman, Kennedy Stewart, Mackenna McClure, Hannah Fuller, and Sandy Banton are one of the best starting lineups in the state. Banton is expected to play after missing their last game while mending a broken nose.
The Lady Warriors have struggled this season at just 6-8 but have two impressive players in Ava Ward (15.2 ppg, 10.6 rpg) and Jada Ward (11.5 ppg, 10.1 rpg) and cannot be taken lightly.
The boy’s consolation game will be at 3:00 PM on Saturday with the championship game at 5:00. The girls will be at 1:00 (consolation) and 7:00 (championship).
