’Jacks Jump On Hornets, 61-46

Photo by Bruce Crawford The ‘Jacks Levi Streets shoots one over top the Hornets’ Travis McCoy, while teammate Tyler Kocher and the Hornets #22 Aaron Stevens look to get the rebound.
After falling in the rear, 19-7, in the opening period, the Valley Lumberjacks outscored Hundred, 37-11, in the two middle periods to sweep the season series over Hundred, 61-46 in the Region I, Section I. The game occurred inside the Valley Lumberjack Gymnasium Feb. 24.
The Lumberjacks’ Avery Kinkade led all-scorers with 21 points, including five baskets from beyond the arch, while Levi Streets and Peyton Bassett followed with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Levi Anderson came off the bench to net seven points, that included a triple, while Tyler Kocher and Logan Bassett each sank a deuce, and Abe Satterfield a free throw.
Travis McCoy finished with a team-high 14 points, and 10 rebounds for his 14th double-double of the season, while Cody Soles added 13 points in leading the way for Hundred. Soles also added six rebounds, five assists, four steals and made three blocks. Logan Norris followed with 10 points, while Adam Stevens tallied eight markers that included a pair of long-range bonus bombs. Stephens also pulled down eight boards. Martin Baker finished the Hundred scoring with a free throw.
Hundred fell to 5-7 on the season, but return all their players next season, while Valley, with an even record at 11-11 will move on to the WVSSAC semi-finals against the top seed Wheeling Central. That game will occur on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. inside the Magnolia Blue Eagles Gymnasium.

Hundred’s Cody Soles, #20, attempts to kiss one off the glass for two of his 13 points.
**
Lumberjacks Chops Down Blue Dons, 65-47
After falling behind 25-24, the Valley Lumberjacks outscored Blue Dons, 41-22, in the second half to chop down Weirton Madonna, 65-47, in boys basketball play, Feb. 21 inside Madonna High School.
Levi Streets paced the Black and Gold with 21 points, including three triples, while Peyton Bassett followed with 14 markers, including a three-ball. Avery Kinkade also dropped in a three-ball to go along with his dozen points.
In addition, Mr. Steady, Evan Greathouse, posted 10 markers, while Tyler Kocher scored six points and pulled down a school record 27 rebounds. Abe Satterfield ended the Lumberjack scoring with a deuce.
Tony Sellitti led all scorers with 23 points, that included five baskets from beyond the arc.
**
Lumberjacks Takes Sting Out Of Hornets, 69-49
The Valley Lumberjacks celebrated their Senior Night in style with a come-from-behind 69-49 victory over the Hundred Hornets. The game happened Feb. 19 inside the VHS Gymnasium.
The Lumberjacks raced out to a 11-0 lead starting with a triple by Ethan Greathouse and ending with a pair of Peyton Bassett free throws, before the Hornets’ Cody Soles netted a pair of his own to stop the onslaught at 2:46 left in period one.
After a Levi Streets deuce and Avery Kinkade steal and basket, the Valley leadwas pushed to 15-2, but the Hornets outscored the ‘Jacks 6-2 to finish off period one with Valley on top, 17-8.
Travis McCoy started a 7-0 rally with a deuce followed by a conventional three-point play and a kiss off the glass that caused the Lumberjacks’ Head Coach John Kocher to call a time-out to talk things over.
Tyler Kocher scored the ‘Jacks first points in the second stanza with a pair off freebies at 6:24, but Logan Norris followed with a jumper that started a 5-0 mini run to take the lead for the first time in the game at 4:30 in the second period.
Greathouse quickly tied it with a deuce, while Kinkade sank one from beyond the arch to get the lead back.
However, the young guns from Hundred started a 11-2 run that started with a Soles deuce, and ending with a Bassett two-pointer right before the buzzer. Hundred, which fell behind 11-0 at the start of the game, ended the second period with a 11-2 to give the visitors a 33-27 lead at the break.
The Lumberjacks came out of the intermission with three straight buckets to knot things up at 33-33, with a pair of Bassett two-pointers and a Kocher jumper that had the Hornets skipper Virgil Wilkins off the bench to call a quick time-out.
After the break, Norris gave Hundred its last lead of the game with a deuce. However, Valley would go on a 8-0 run, starting with a Bassett deuce, and ending with a pair of Kocher free throws to go on top, 41-35.
After a Aaron Stevens two-pointer for the Hornets, the ‘Jacks would close out the period with a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 48-37 with eight minutes remaining in regulation.
Greathouse and Streets opened the fourth period with a deuce and an old-fashion conventional three point play to get Valley off to a good start.
However, McCoy had other plans as he started a 5-0 run with a free throw and a rebound put-back sandwiched in by a Norris deuce to quiet the Lumberjack fans.
However, the Valley faithful really got loud as the ‘Jacks went on a 6-0 run, but McCoy quieted the crowd with another two-pointer, The Valley fans even got louder with a Kinkade triple, however McCoy and Soles each netted two points, before Bassett and Kinkade matched two-pointers, before Streets ended the game with a long-distance three-pointer.
“I’m so proud of our team the way they battled from taking a large lead, then losing it and get it back once again, and finishing it they way they did,” Coach Kocher said. “Our seniors stepped up and all played well when we had too, we just need to be able to keep the foot on the peddle.”
“I’m also really proud of our kids tonight.” Hundred Coach Virgil Wilkins said. “My guys never gave up and played as hard as they could. We are a very young team without a senior and only one junior so we know what we got and are working towards a goal and that is to improve each and every game, and they have.”
McCoy paced the Hornets with a team-high 16 points and had 17 rebounds for a double-double, while Soles and Norris collected 13 and 11 points, respectively. Soles added to the stat sheet with six rebounds, six steals and blocked five shots.
In addition, Aaron and Adan Stevens scored five and four points, respectively, with Aaron adding 10 rebounds and dishing out a trio of assists.
Bassett led four Valley double-digit scorers with 20 points, while grabbing 15 rebounds for a double-double, and blocking two shots. Kinkade followed with 15 points, including a pair of treys, while grabbing seven rebounds and rejecting three shots.
In addition, Streets and Kocher tallied 13 and 10 points, respectively, with Streets adding eight assists, and Kocher 10 rebounds for a double-double. Greathouse, finished with eight points, that included a triple, while Caden Palmer tacked on a sky-hook.
- Hundred’s Cody Soles, #20, attempts to kiss one off the glass for two of his 13 points.