Parkersburg’s Frances Guice, left, congratulates Amaya Lewis (14) after Lewis made the game-winning shot in the Big Reds’ 71-70 win over University in a Class AAAA quarterfinal, Thursday in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

CHARLESTON – Parkersburg’s air of confidence never rattled.

Not when University made five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and erased a 13-point deficit.

Not when a University reserve knocked down a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation.

And not even when the Hawks set up for a possible game-winning shot in the final seven seconds of overtime.

Thursday afternoon in a Class AAAA quarterfinal at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, No. 2 PHS gave a sigh of relief after surviving No. 7 University by a score of 71-70 in overtime.

Parkersburg’s Frances Guice dribbles through traffic against several University defenders during Thursday’s Class AAAA quarterfinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

The Big Reds (16-8) advance to Friday’s 9 p.m. semifinal matchup with Morgantown.

“We lost our heads a little bit in the second half just defensively – University shot with some confidence,” PHS coach Chris Murray said. “We were able to stay composed and finish the way we needed. For us, we were never really rattled. We were fine. We were just going to the next play.

“Two of their starters fouled out (at the end of regulation) and I don’t know if they necessarily subbed a lot tonight. So we felt pretty good about going into overtime with them.”

An inauspicious beginning saw Parkersburg’s Lucie Cline fall to the ground at midcourt holding her right leg one minute into the game. She eventually walked off the court under her own power, returned to action and turned in one of the most decisive defensive efforts at the end of overtime.

Trailing 71-70, University came out of a timeout with seven seconds remaining. The five PHS defenders on the floor held firm with their switches until the ball ended up in the hands of University’s Bri Fox, who scored 24 of her game-high 32 points after halftime. Cline forced Fox well-beyond the arc and forced a desperation heave which may have glanced off the bottom of the rim.

Parkersburg’s Kennedy Porter, left, tries to shake off University’s Isabella Hall during Thursday’s Class AAAA quarterfinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“We were here last year and we lost, and I think maybe that was part of it – we started playing not to lose,” Murray said. “You start to kind of hesitate a little bit and it created some opportunities for University.

“Out of that timeout, we kind of went to a zone where we blitzed Bri and made her pass the ball and facilitate. We switched and it showed what the girls’ basketball ability is and what they can do for 32 minutes. That was a great switch. Lucie contested by putting her hands up and doing a really good job.”

The one-point lead was made possible by a PHS reserve whose only two points proved to be the game-winner. With the clock ticking under 20 seconds following a University miss at one end, PHS point guard Lauren Flanagan found Amaya Lewis under the hoop for the 2-foot layup.

“We always practice running the floor,” Lewis said. “I try to get as many minutes as I can, so I just do as I am told. I ran the floor and I got the layup.

“I did see Lauren look at me to pass it and just knew to be ready.”

The Parkersburg High School training staff works on the leg of Big Reds’ Lucie Cline after Cline fell to the floor in the first minute of the first quarter in Thursday’s Class AAAA quarterfinal against University in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Throughout the game, University suffered matchup problems in the post with Big Red senior Kennedy Porter, who finished with 24 points and 24 rebounds- a rebound total which set a Class AAAA state record for a single game.

Porter’s inside-outside partner Frances Guice finished with 22 points, while Flanagan added 10 points to go with five assists.

“I got a lot of putbacks and that stretched the lead early,” Porter said. “So that was my job tonight. It was, I’m going to grab every board that I can.”

University managed just two 3-pointers while falling behind 35-21 at halftime. In the fourth quarter, the Hawks started to find their range, scoring 15 of their 19 points in the period from beyond the arc. Their only lead in regulation occurred at 4-2 in the first quarter. In overtime, they overtook the Big Reds at 64-63 on a Fox free throw.

“Wow, what a game, right? – we were playing with house money,” University coach Sammy Lusk said after his club ended the campaign at 14-7. “Nobody gave us a chance and we were right there with a chance to do it.There are a lot of teams at home right now that don’t get to be a part of this, and we do. That’s such a blessing.

Parkersburg’s Lauren Flanagan, left, drives to the basket against University’s Taylor VanScoy during Thursday’s Class AAAA quarterfinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“We wanted to keep it close – keep it within striking distance, make a couple of shots and put the pressure on and that’s what we did. Credit to Parkersburg for responding. That’s a heck of a basketball team.”

University had a few hiccups handling PHS’ full-court pressure in the early-going. Eventually, they were able to figure it out and keep pace.

“It’s actually kind of funny because you ask all the girls here and they will probably say that we didn’t work on our press-breaker for even a second,” Lusk said. “Because honestly, we’ve been so good against pressure all year. We really have.

“A lot of that is the detriment of our team is that we have no size. A benefit of our team is that we have no size – we have a bunch of girls that can handle the basketball.”