CHARLESTON — It took a full 32 minutes for Nitro to celebrate on Saturday morning.
The third-seeded Wildcats and Lewis County Minutemaids went toe-to-toe the entire game in the Class AAA state title game.
However, a 10-0 fourth quarter Nitro run gave the Wildcats the lead en route to a 47-39 state title victory over Lewis County.
The victory gives the Wildcats their second Class AAA championship in four years.
They are the first Class AAA program to win two titles since the adoption of the four-class system.
“Hats off to Lewis County,†Nitro coach Pat Jones said. “They are an outstanding ball team. Coach (Joe) Nichols had them prepared. They shot the ball well from the outside. We did our best to stay in front of them with closing out.
“We struggled on the boxing out and rebounding in the first half. We had a nice little halftime talk about that. We did a lot better in the second half.
“Our pressure defense wore them down in the second half.â€
Nitro forward Natalie Smith struggled in the opening half, only scoring two points in 15 minutes of play.
She flipped the switch in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter. Smith scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as part of 15 in the second half.
Smith finished the game with 17 points, seven rebounds and five steals.
“I knew Ava (Edwards) was getting pressured with the ball,†Smith said. “They were focused on our shooting. So, I knew I had to get the ball down low and put the team on my back and carry us.â€
Lewis County’s season comes to an end at 24-4.
The Minutemaids end their season having won eight of their final nine games.
“Hats off to Nitro. They made shots when they needed to make shots,†Lewis County coach Joe Nichols said. “I feel for these girls. It’s the second time in school history we’ve been here. Did we get the result we wanted? No. We started the year with a dream.
“It was an amazing experience and ride. No one expected us to be here. No one expected us to get past the first round. That is a testament to these girls.â€
Nichols thought Lewis County’s defensive efforts on Smith were good enough to win, despite her scoring 15 points in the second half.
“I thought we contained her in the first half fairly well,†Nichols said. “We tried to contain and wear her down. She went on a little run by herself. She hit big baskets to help separate the lead from us.â€
A Hailey Newsome jumper and Brooklyn Cawley 3-pointer sparked some energy for Nitro early on, Kenna Maxwell supplied Lewis County’s only bucket of the frame with a trey, but Cawley answered with a 3 of her own for an 8-3 Nitro lead after one.
Nitro’s cold shooting bit the Wildcats early in the second quarter, only making one field goal in the first 3:30.
The Minutemaids used two Ella Pinkney free throws and Maxwell’s 3-pointer to knot the game up at 10, and it stayed tied at 15 at halftime.
Another Maxwell 3-pointer with 7:35 left in the third gave Lewis County its first lead of the game, 18-17.
Nitro’s offense came alive, especially later in the frame, as Edwards drilled a 3 right in front of Nitro’s bench to give the Wildcats the 29-25 advantage.
However, Lewis County’s Bryn Hunt and Pinkney finished the quarter scoring the final five points to give the Minutemaids a 30-29 lead heading to the fourth.
Pinkney’s final 3-pointer came with 5:08 remaining to put Lewis County ahead 35-33.
Nitro’s 10-0 run to counter was sparked by Smith scoring half the points.
The Wildcats’ final five points came from the charity stripe, courtesy of Smith, Cawley and Newsome.
‘Tired of sugarcoating it’
Jones mentioned the joy of sharing another state title with his father and his brother Andy, then took the opportunity to get something off his chest.
“It’s special,†Jones said. “They know the (crap) I’ve gone through this year. They are the ones I reach out to the most, especially Andy, living four doors down from him.
“They knew the (crap) I dealt with these parents, from Game 1 to 6 o’clock this morning. I woke up with text messages from a parent wanting to know why her daughter wasn’t dressing. And I’m trying to prepare for a state championship and I’ve been up since 5:15 with my (two) 2-year-olds, who have cerebral palsy.
“These parents don’t know the work not only myself but our coaches do (over) an entire season. I get to spend an hour and a half with my kids. I spend my time with these girls. These parents are unappreciative. I’m not going to sugarcoat it anymore.
“I’ve told everyone that when this game came and (I) got my chance to speak, then I was going to get my words out. We work too hard as a coaching staff and the girls work too hard as players for these parents to text me 24/7 when I’m trying to spend time with my family.
“Their child wants to play, then she needs to get into the gym and work harder. I’m not sugarcoating it anymore and tired of sugarcoating it.â€
LEWIS COUNTY 3 12 15 9 — 39: Ella Pinkney 5-10 4-6 16, Maxwell 4-12 0-0 12, Goodwin 2-4 0-0 4, Emma Pinkney 2-3 0-0 4, Hunt 1-12 0-0 3.
NITRO 8 7 14 18 — 47: Smith 6-14 5-8 17, Cawley 3-9 4-4 12, Newsome 3-5 2-6 9, Edwards 2-7 0-0 5, Adams 2-6 0-0 4.
3-pointers: Lewis County:7-27 (Maxwell 4-12, Pinkney 2-4, Hunt 1-8, Dever 0-3). Nitro: 4-11 (Cawley 2-4, Edwards 1-1, Newsome 1-3, Smith 0-3).
Rebounds: Lewis County: 32 (Goodwin 10, Pinkney 7). Nitro: 34 (Adams 7, Smith 7).
