Vandevender is tourney first game high scorer

Bruce McKean
Contributing Writer

PCHS V, 28
Greenbrier West V, 53

The Pocahontas County Lady Warriors varsity basketball team made a trip to Braxton County December 28 to play in a two-day, four-school basketball tournament at the Armory gym in Gassaway.

On Wednesday, PCHS (3-3)  played Class A ranked (but non top 10 in the AP Preseason Poll) Greenbrier West (5-1).

PCHS started strong and won the first quarter 15-8 while hitting four treys. It was downhill after that as the four-quarter PC-GW scoring shows: 15-8, 3-15, 3-14 and 7-16. The PCHS field goal attempts per quarter were: first quarter – 5 of 12 (42 percent), second – 1 of 9 (11 percent), third – 1 of 7 (14 percent) and fourth – 2 of 15 (13 percent). PCHS made more threes than twos in the game, 6 versus 3.

Game high scorer in the PCHS vs GWHS game was junior Olivia Vandevender with 16 points that included hitting 4 of 6 threes (67 percent), 5 steals, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 deflections and 1 block. Another game high for Olivia was hitting 5 of 12 (42 percent) field goal attempts. Other game-high scorers were GWHS sophomores unless noted: Maddie Fields – 14 points, Preslee Treadway – 9, Abigail Tho-mas – 8, senior Ava Barclay – 8 and freshman Brilee Redden – 7.

PCHS senior Riley Pollack made 2 of 5 (40 percent) three attempts.  Other PCHS team highs were: junior Adelyn Warner – 3 steals, junior Kynlee Wilfong – 3 rebounds, sophomore Mackenzie Taylor – 3 rebounds and junior Mileya Bircher – 1 block. All 11 Warriors saw some action in the game, including two freshmen Calli Propst and Shayla Bennett, who dressed for their first varsity game, and 5 Warriors scored, while 11 of 14 Cavaliers played and 7 scored.

PCHS made only 9 of 43 field goal attempts (21 percent). PCHS had their worst rebounding effort this season by 10 rebounds, 18 versus 43 for West, and GWHS committed fewer turnovers, 34 versus 38 for PCHS. PCHS was called for more fouls, 16 versus 11, and made 4 of 6 (67 percent) free throws, while GWHS made 12 of 21 (57 percent).  PCHS’s record drops to (3-4), and GWHS improves to (6-1). 

Highland, Virginia, girls JV will play the PCHS JV at 5:45 p.m. at Dunmore Monday, January 9, 2023. There will be no girls V game, but the PCHS V boys will play at 7:30 p.m.

PCHS V girls will play at Pendleton County at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, January 10, 2023. No JV game.