PHS/South meet for sectional title

PARKERSBURG -- When tonight's Class AAA, Region IV, Section 1 championship game comes to a conclusion inside Parkersburg High School's Memorial Fieldhouse, both the Big Reds and rival Parkersburg South will advance to play on Tuesday in a regional co-final.

The two programs enter today's 7 p.m. tip with a combined 12 wins and 32 losses, having split the regular season series. PHS (5-17) defended its home court on Dec. 22 by holding off the Patriots in overtime, 60-56. However, on Jan. 19 inside the Rod Oldham Athletic Center it was Parkersburg South (7-15) which made an improbable fourth quarter rally and pulled off an 80-77 victory.

"This is really just the final battle to settle it all," said Big Red head man Jeff Mennillo, whose top three leading scorers are Kionte Peacock (14.7), Dylan Shaver (11.3) and Jacob McKnight (9.1). "Obviously, it's a lot easier playing at home than playing on the road.

"Our kids are really happy to be playing at home one more time in the Fieldhouse. After senior night, we weren't guaranteed anymore games here."

While the top-seeded Big Reds haven't played since losing on Feb. 20 at Morgantown, the second-seeded Patriots of head coach Mike Fallon are coming off an easy 75-46 sectional triumph against Ripley on Wednesday.

"They are excited. That (Ripley) was the stressful game, knowing if you lose that you are out and don't have a chance to play for the state tournament," Fallon said. "This region is so wide open, even if a team has to go on the road. No matter what happens on each side, I think both teams will have a chance to advance in all honesty.

"They've had a week and a half to prepare for us. They know everything we are going to do inside and out and they know what our kids do. We know kind of what we need to do to survive and all that. I don't think there's one key. The season has prepared us. Who knows what they will come out and do. We just have to be prepared to handle anything."

Prior to the sectional tilt versus Ripley, the Patriots had a trio of double figure point-producers in Malaki Sylvia (17.0), Seth Fallon (12.9) and Brayden Mooney (11.6). Patriot Seth Dennis is putting up better than nine markers an outing.

Despite the rough start, Mennillo was pleased with how his team stuck together and continued to fight as the season progressed.

"I hope people know that," Mennillo said. "We were a very bad basketball team in December. We probably over scheduled. We probably had an offense that didn't fit us. We were sort of unsure what our roles were and life without Brenton (Strange) and Parker (Miller), and so you know, we just really, really struggled. But we've had great senior leadership.

"These kids, I would say probably starting in the middle of January, we retooled everything we were doing and started all over. We felt like our schedule set us apart as far as how hard it was and beating Huntington at the end of the year by a pretty solid margin, I think, caught some people in our conference's attention. I think that got us over the hump as far as getting us the bye. That's all well and good but it doesn't mean anything if we don't win Friday."

Coach Fallon said Thursday's practice was just normal preparation heading into a game.

"Same thing. It's got to be about us," Fallon said. "We can't worry about the rivalry and all that stuff. It's tournament time now. When tournament time rolls around it's a whole different atmosphere and those guys have been around long enough to know that feeling and stuff.

"Everyone talks about the seeding and all that. It's crazy. We lost nine games by six points or less. We could easily be 16 and whatever. It's a whole new year and a whole new season. I think we are playing with a little confidence right now and I think Wednesday night was a big boost for us."

∫ A quartet of Little Kanawha Conference programs are also vying for sectional titles today with respective 7 p.m. tips.

Class A, Region IV, Section 1

Williamstown (18-5) makes the short trek to Parkersburg Catholic (15-7) as the Crusaders are looking for their third consecutive triumph versus the Yellowjackets. PC's Cade Ullman exploded for a career-high 43 points in a 72-58 road win while the 'Jackets suffered an 83-52 blowout loss at PCHS.

Class A, Region I, Section 2

Like WHS, visiting Tyler Consolidated (15-8) will be in search of victory No. 1 on the campaign when the Silver Knights invade St. Marys. The Blue Devils (14-8) have turned back TCHS by scores of 76-60 and 69-60.