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Photo by Cody Nespor
Warren’s Abby Smith (00) makes a shot over Wheeling Park’s Jai’lah Walker (35) during Sunday’s OVAC All-Star basketball game.

WHEELING — For just the second time in the last 10 years, the Ohio girls OVAC All-Star team defeated the West Virginia squad 98-65 in the 44th Samuel A. Mumley All Star Basketball Classic Sunday afternoon inside the Palace on the Hill at Wheeling Park High School.

The Ohio team also won the game in 2018 but other than that, the Mountain State squad has won every meeting since 2012.

The Ohio team got it done Sunday with high-energy defense that kept the West Virginians on their heels and produced easy scoring opportunities for the visitors.

After back-and-forth play to start, Ohio’s second group of five that subbed into the game started a string of smothering defense that would lift them to victory.

“(Steubenville Central) coach (Jess) Looman did a great job of putting the three groups together and then changing them into three different groups in the second half,” said Monroe Central coach Troy Baker, who led the Ohio team. “I thought all three groups were really strong and played really well together.”

That second group included Steubenville Central’s Katie Zatta and Fort Frye’s duo of Hannah Archer and MacKenzie Dalton. They held West Virginia to a single basket while on the floor, piecing together a 12-2 scoring run that put the Buckeye contingent up 20-9.

Baker thought that Archer and Dalton’s familiarity helped spark the team’s defensive effort.

“Of course, they’ve played together down at Fort Frye for the past four years and have got great chemistry,” he said. “The Dalton girl’s a lot like (Monroe Central’s) Kalista Friday, she’s got a motor that just does not quit and she got after it. Jules Hood and Abby Wayble from Buckeye Trail and Caldwell both gave us a lot of hustle plays too.”

Needing a spark, West Virginia re-inserted starting center Carleigh Grimm from Linsly into the lineup and she responded with six straight points that made it 22-15 in favor of Ohio.

“She’s a special kid, and not because of her athletic ability, but because of who she is,” Linsly coach Rebecca Upton said of Grimm. “I was proud of all of the kids that were out here today.”

Upton coached the West Virginia team alongside Trinity coach Mike Baldy.

The boost from Grimm did not last long, however, as Ohio orchestrated a massive 24-5 run that closed out the first half and put them up 51-26 at the break.

The halftime show was a 3-point contest between three members of each squad. Zatta, Archer and Dover’s Tori Jones represented Ohio while West Virginia had Grimm, Linsly teammate Haley Heitz and John Marshall’s Landyn Helms. Jones won with a score of 19.

Ohio pushed its lead as high as 33 points near the beginning of the second half, thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers by Archer.

Friday, who played for Baker at Monroe Central, also came alive in the second half. Her continuously-disruptive on-ball defense led to several steals and easy baskets in transition as she scored 11 of her 17 points after halftime.

“When there’s a ball around, Kalista’s ready to play,” Baker said. “She plays hard all the time, I never have to worry about effort, it’s going to come.

“It was great to get that last win with Kalista Friday. Most of the time you don’t get to end your career with an athlete with a win.”

West Virginia attempted to piece together a comeback attempt, but 3-pointers late by Zatta and Friday iced the game for the Ohioans to win 98-65.

Zatta led the victors with 18 points and four 3-points. She was followed by Friday’s 17 and Archer’s 11. Also standing out for Ohio was Warren center Abbie Smith, who also scored 11 points and played tough in the post against Grimm.

“Abbie’s good on both sides of the floor,” Baker said. “I thought she was extremely strong with the ball. If she catches it down in the post, it’s pretty much two points.”

Jones finished with seven while Harrison Central’s McKayla Dunkle had six. Wayble, Dalton and Dover’s Morgan Kiser each had five and Buckeye Trail’s Kacey Hastins and Cambridge’s Camryn Gebhart both scored four. Hannah Merrit from Union Local scored three and Maria Clark from Martins Ferry capped off Ohio’s scoring with two points.

Clay-Battelle’s Alivia Ammons led West Virginia with 12 points while making a trio of 3-pointers. Grimm was right behind her with 10 points.

Linsly’s Ally Hicks and Haley Heitz and Wheeling Park’s Jai’lah Walker each scored six. Finishing with five points were Madonna’s Vanessa Alatis, John Marshall’s Landyn Helms and Trinity’s Avonna Brown.

Trinity’s Olivia Austin and Maggie Mercure each scored three and Brooke’s Madison Platt and John Marshall’s Catherine Hunnel finished with two apiece.

Upton said she was happy that all three of Linsly’s seniors from this season were able to participate.

“It meant a lot to them, together, because they’ve been together for the last couple of years,” Upton said. “For all three of our seniors to make it to this was really special. I was really happy for them.

“This is supposed to be fun and celebrate the players that they are individually, that’s what this is about.”

Ohio 98, West Virginia 65

OH — Archer 4 0-0 11; Clark 1 0-0 2; Dalton 2 1-1 5; Dunkle 3 0-0 6; Friday 6 4-4 17; Gebhart 1 2-3 4; Gorby 0 0-2 0; Hastings 2 0-0 4; Hood 1 0-0 2; Jones 3 0-0 7; Kiser 2 0-0 5; Merritt 1 1-2 3; Smith 5 1-1 11; Wayble 2 1-2 5; Zatta 7 0-0 18.

WV — Alatis 2 0-0 5; Ammons 3 3-4 12; Austin 1 1-2 3; Brown 2 1-4 5; Grimm 5 0-0 10; Heitz 2 0-0 6; Helms 2 0-0 5; Hicks 2 0-2 6; Hunnell 1 0-0 2; Platt 1 0-0 2; Mercure 1 0-0 3; Soles 0 0-0 0; Tuttle 0 0-0 0; Walker 2 2-3 6.

3 Pt. Goals — Ohio 10 (Archer 3, Friday 1, Jones 1, Kiser 1, Zatta 4). West Virginia 11 (Alatis 1, Ammons 3, Heitz 2, Helms 1, Hicks 2, Mercure 1).

OH 51 47 — 98

WV 26 39 — 65