CHARLESTON — Parkersburg’s Kennedy Porter made her claim to become the state’s top center in girls basketball this season with a double-double in the Big Reds’ 64-33 win at Capital on Tuesday.

Porter, a 5-10 senior, scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help her team improve to 2-0 overall this season with both victories coming against Mountain State Athletic Conference competition.

Parkersburg coach Chris Murray said Porter has been a two-time second team All-State honoree and is looking to get her first team recognition this season.

“She’s also had really good post players that have gotten that recognition in front of her, like Zaniah [Zellous], and then Allie Daniels got it,” Murray said. “So, like, not bad company to be in.”

Porter scored four points in each of the first two quarters, helping Parkersburg take a 21-4 lead after one quarter and stretching that into a 39-13 advantage by halftime. She had one field goal in each of the final two periods, but it was on the glass where she helped the Big Reds take a rebounding edge.

Led by four rebounds from three different players — Aiyana Monroe, Zianna Carter and Nunu Pannell, Capital (0-5, 0-2) struggled to find its offensive touch and struggled to keep Porter out of the lane.

Though the Cougars were able to improve their play in the second half, the effort needed to be consistent, Capital coach J.D. Lambert said.

“You can tell [Parkersburg has] been putting in work,” Lambert said. “They’ve been playing together for some time. We still haven’t got our chemistry together.”

Parkersburg was the second Class AAAA opponent that Class AAA Capital has played this season after an earlier defeat to Parkersburg South. Even against other teams in their classification, however, Capital has struggled offensively.

“You saw spurts when we brought energy,” Lambert said. “When we had that hustle, that effort, it’s a different game for us.”

Capital trailed by 33 after the third quarter before the Cougars outscored the Big Reds 11-9 in the final eight minutes.

Carter led Capital with nine points and Kamari Johnson-Rush added eight points.

Parkersburg countered with more than just Porter. The Big Reds, voted by the state’s coaches association as the No. 3-ranked team in Class AAAA behind Morgantown and George Washington, had a matching 12 points from Francis Guice and 11 from Lauren Flanagan.

Murray was able to get 12 players into the contest with all but two getting points for Parkersburg.

The Big Reds opened their season with a 72-38 win over St. Albans at home and will face Jefferson on Saturday, a tougher test, Murray said.

A trip to Charleston, South Carolina, for a three-game tournament during the holiday break will serve as a precursor to games at Morgantown, Parkersburg South, Hurricane and Cabell Midland in the new year.

Capital, likewise, will play their next five games away from Charleston and will return for their next home game on Jan. 6 against Winfield.