Williamstown’s Anna Cosner (5) and Wheeling Central’s Seneca Heller battle for a rebound during Friday’s Class AA semifinal game in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

CHARLESTON — Williamstown’s success is predicated on defense.

Well, Yellowjacket girls basketball coach Danny Bunch and his team sent his approach to a whole other level.

In textbook fashion, Williamstown’s defense showed in the second half what Williamstown defense is supposed to look like during Friday’s 53-42 win over Wheeling Central in a Class AA state semifinal, Thursday morning at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.

After Wheeling Central scored more points in the first half than Williamstown allows per game, the Maroon Knights were limited to six second-half points — including just one made bucket in the final 13 1/2 minutes.

By overcoming a 13-point first half deficit, Williamtown (20-3) advances to Saturday’s state championship game. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

Williamstown assistant coach Ben Rinehart, right, and Yellowjacket junior Makaela Bandy celebrate the Yellowjackets’ 53-42 win over Wheeling Central in a Class AA semifinal game, Friday in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“I was upset at halftime,” Bunch said. “For them to score 36 points in the first half, that was my biggest concern and my biggest complaint at that time. I just knew we were better than that.

“I know that we were struggling offensively, but I was more upset with what we were giving up on the defensive side of the ball. We made a couple of adjustments in the second half — the girls stepped up their game which created offense on the other end. So I am very, very proud of the girls. And obviously, I am very happy.”

Wheeling Central (20-5) took advantage of several issues facing Williamstown. In addition to the breakdowns on defense, Yellowjacket starter Arissa Burt picked up her second foul in the final minute of the first quarter and did not return to the floor until the latter stages of the second period with the Maroon Knights in front 34-21.

A 3-pointer from Makaela Bandy and a bucket from Burt ended the first half on a more upbeat note for Williamstown, which trailed 36-26 with one half in the books. Bandy came off the bench and hit all three shots she attempted, and finished with seven points.

Burt’s damage occurred in the second half. The senior turned in the complete floor game — finishing with nine points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Williamstown’s Quinn Bunch, left, keeps close tabs defensively on Wheeling Central’s Addie Payton during Friday’s Class AA semifinal game in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

At the break, coach Bunch and his staff still had to figure out a solution trying to contain Wheeling Central’s offense which shot at a 52% clip (13-of-25) from the floor and 67% (4-of-6) from beyond the arc.

Their answer was throwing a triangle-and-two and stopping Addie Payton, who accounted for three 3-pointers and all 16 of her points in the first half.

“We were getting the ball out and we were running at our pace,” Wheeling Central coach Roberta Olejasz said. “It was not their pace. Then it kind of flipped in the second half.”

The two teams traded baskets for the first three minutes of the third period. Wheeling Central’s Erin Maxwell accounted for the only two Maroon Knight second-half buckets before Williamtown’s defense started to take effect. Over the final 13 1/2 minutes of the game, the Yellowjackets outscored the Maroon Knights 24-2.

“Williamstown ran a triangle-and-two, but that should not have affected us,” Olejasz said. “I think we executed our gameplan pretty well, but offensively in the second half we just couldn’t hit shots. They just didn’t fall for us.

Williamstown’s Gracie Montgomery (10) added another four 3-pointers to her state tournament resume during Friday’s Class AA semifinal victory over Wheeling Central in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Williamstown has a sound defense — it is a stifling defense. They play full court and they play half court defense the whole game and they are all over you.”

Barely halfway into the game, Williamstown’s worst output defensively of 50 points allowed in one game was in jeopardy. Fortunately the number remained intact, as the defense led by senior Anna Cosner forced Wheeling Central into a 3-of-22 (13.6%) shooting performance over the final two quarters.

Coach Bunch told members on West Virginia MetroNews’ radio broadcast he would see to it Cosner joined the postgame press conference even if she wasn’t selected. Her presence meant that much to Williamstown’s lock-down defensive effort.

“We talked about it in the locker room at halftime how our defense in the first half wasn’t like us,” said Cosner, who finished with nine points and four steals, while limiting Wheeling Central point guard Seneca Heller to six points. “Our offense feeds off our defense. We came out and we didn’t want to lose. For me personally, I didn’t want this to be my last game. I was ready to do whatever it took.”

In the first half, several girls stepped up to produce enough offense to keep the Yellowjackets in the conversation until Burt returned to the floor and the defense eventually did its number in the second half.

Williamstown’s Arissa Burt tries to split two Wheeling Central defenders during a Class AA semifinal game, Friday in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Freshman Maggie Frye scored seven of her 12 points prior to halftime, while Gracie Montgomery hit a pair of threes which factored into her sharing scoring honors with Frye at 12 points as well.

“My comfort zone is a lot better than that first game (with Tucker County),” Frye said. “It was definitely a lot more comfortable playing in this game.”

Montgomery, who knocked down five 3-pointers in a quarterfinal win over Tucker County, hit nothing but net on her first four attempts from beyond the arc against Wheeling Central.

“My elbow is feeling better, so I’m good,” explained Montgomery.

Wheeling Central led 40-29 when the Williamstown freezer arrived and put the Maroon Knights on ice. Numerous one-and-dones by Wheeling Central also factored into the Yellowjackets ability to pull ahead 42-40 in time for the start of the fourth quarter.

Williamstown girls basketball coach Danny Bunch watches the final seconds tick away during the Yellowjackets’ 53-42 win over Wheeling Central in a Class AA semifinal played in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

The final made field goal of the game for the Maroon Knights occurred on Heller’s runner with 6:33 remaining in regulation and tied the game at 42-42.

“At halftime, it felt like Wheeling Central had as many offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds — that’s one of the biggest reasons we were down by 10,” Bunch said. “We had position, but we weren’t really boxing out. Wheeling Central’s girls were just going after it a little bit more.

“Our girls got a little more aggressive going after the basketball in the second half, and there weren’t too many possessions Wheeling Central got a second look. I thought we did a great job on the boards”

A breakdown on defense by Wheeling Central left a wide open Frye under the basket for the easy lay-in off a Cosner assist and put Williamstown in front to stay at 44-42. Coach Olejasz called an immediate timeout.

Burt, who never did pick up a third personal foul, scored five of Williamstown’s final nine points.

“We are sort of a defensive-minded team — we like to put pressure on people and make them uncomfortable,” Bunch said. “That in turn creates offense, and probably is what will win the ballgame. I thought we stepped it really well on the three players we were concerned with,

“We turned up the pressure, made them uncomfortable and got them a little frustrated. So that’s it.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com

Williamstown’s starting five stand alongside one another during the playing of the National Anthem prior to the start of Friday’s Class AA semifinal against Wheeling Central in Charleston. Pictured, from left, are Quinn Bunch (3), Anna Cosner (5), Gracie Montgomery (10), Maggie Frye (14) and Arrissa Burt (30). (Photo by Kerry Patrick)