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PHS, South girls meet for a third time

Class AAA?Region IV sectional championship on the line tonight

Parkersburg’s Aleea Crites works against Parkersburg South’s Lauren Pelfrey in a crosstown rivalry game. The Big Reds and Patriots meet for a third time this season at 7 p.m. today inside PHS Memorial Fieldhouse. Photo by Joe Albright

PARKERSBURG — Beating a team three times in a season stands as a tall task for anyone, the opposition becomes familiar with strengths and weaknesses in personnel after the collection of game tape over two contests.

But what happens when the 2-0 team has presented three different versions of itself in the matchups?

This is the question Parkersburg South head coach Ed Davis and his girls’ basketball team must answer when they face rival Parkersburg at 7 p.m. today inside the PHS Memorial Fieldhouse for the Class AAA Region IV, Section 1 championship.

Davis and company face a third different Big Reds’ starting lineup during their quest to host a Class AAA Region IV co-final at 7 p.m. Feb. 26.

Big Reds’ three-year starter Madi Mace joins the crosstown showdown for the first time since the 2018 state tournament semifinal. The junior brings her 13.6 points-per-game scoring average to the bout.

“They are a great team and the rich get richer,” said Davis. “They are a talented team and Madi gives them another versatile player you are not going to stop. You aren’t going to stop Shay-Lee Kirby and you aren’t going to stop Bre (Wilson). You limit what you can limit and hope that it is good enough.”

Davis noted two things his team can improve on immediately after watching the game tape of the second matchup. PHS scored 21 points off offensive rebounds and 24 points off 35 South turnovers. Many of those offensive rebounds, points and turnovers came in the second half. Not much went right for the Patriots in the final 16 mintues as PHS erased a three-point halftime deficit with an 18-1 third-quarter run South never recovered from in a 72-48 loss.

“We have to keep our turnover total down in the teens somewhere that is critical,” said Davis. “We also have to convert when we break their press and break even on the boards.”

When asked what the difference between his team is now and the last meeting with the Big Reds, Davis would not give the game plan away. But he did provide a solid answer for the improvement.

“It took us a while to figure out what works for us defensively,” he said. “Now I say this not knowing what tomorrow night will bring but we have settled on some things defensively with our personnel and things have worked better for us.”

His defense was on display in the sectional-final qualifier Wednesday against Ripley.

The Patriots adjusted to a 7 of 8 from the field first-quarter shooting performance from Ripley in a 63-43 win. South’s defense commanded the remaining 24 minutes. Their pressure on display in the second quarter, the Patriots’ visitors went 1 of 7 from the field and turned the ball over 11 times.

Meanwhile, Parkersburg High School enters the game on a six-day break since winning the Mountain State Athletic Conference title, 74-56, over Woodrow Wilson.

Big Red head coach Scott Cozzens does not expect Davis to change much for one matchup. “They are going to do what they do well at this time of the year and we will do what we have been successful at all year and hope it works out,” he said.

PHS sends Mace, Maddi Leggett, Kirby, Wilson and Aleea Crites to the opening tip. South counters with Makenna Winans, Sierra Hays, Lauren Pelfrey, Kenzie Johnson and Erin Williams.

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