Lady Elks Edge Win

Team Counters Big Night From West Fork's Franklin

STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES -- Elkins sophomore Alleigh Stahman (33) shoots as West Fork junior Katie Griffin defends in the first half Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013 in Elkins.
STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES -- Elkins sophomore Alleigh Stahman (33) shoots as West Fork junior Katie Griffin defends in the first half Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013 in Elkins.

— Sydney Franklin had no problem finding her shot, whether it came in the paint, on the perimeter or at the free-throw line.

For three quarters, the West Fork guard drained mid-range jumpers, sank 3-pointers and scored 26 of her team’s 41 points against Elkins.

But the Lady Elks tightened their defense in the fourth quarter, using their inside presence and balanced offense to counter Franklin’s big night in a 56-51 win over the Lady Tigers.

“A big word for this group has been determination,” Elkins girls basketball coach Monica Wells said. “When you’re going to get the rebound, that’s someone just deciding to do it. So, I’m real proud of the kids getting key rebounds especially at key times.”

Elkins (14-6, 6-1 3A-1 West Conference) outscored West Fork 20-10 in the fourth quarter and held Franklin to just five points in the final 8 minutes to earn at least a share of the 3A-1 Conference championship. Franklin scored all but two of the Lady Tigers’ points in the third quarter and finished with a game-high 31 points.

Skyler Johnson led the Lady Elks with 18 points, helping them erase a five-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter and allowing Wells to celebrate a win against her younger brother, West Fork coach Nathan Wells.

“I tell you, the biggest satisfaction is the conference win. The sibling rivalry is more for everybody else other than he and I,” she said. “We just want to beat each other because it’s a conference win.”

Alleigh Stahman gave Elkins a 44-43 on a three-point play with 5 minutes, 50 seconds remaining, and Johnson extended it to 49-45 with another three-point play less than three minutes later.

As she had done all night, Franklin kept West Fork (13-10, 3-3) in the game, hitting a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining to cut Elkins’ advantage to 54-51. But the senior missed a pair of late 3-point attempts, and the Lady Elkins sealed the win by making 3 of 4 free throws over the final 35 seconds.

“They probably tightened up a little bit in the fourth quarter, but we still got some looks,” Nathan Wells said of Elkins’ fourth-quarter defense on Franklin. “Our biggest problem is guarding them.

“They got a lot girls, two big post players, a lot of girls that are hard match-ups for us.”

West Fork 15 11 15 10 — 51 Elkins 15 11 10 20 — 56

WEST FORK (13-10, 3-3): Franklin 31, Quinton 7, Hays 6, Griffin 4, Selph 3. ELKINS (14-6, 6-1): Johnson 18, Welch 13, Wilson 8, Stahman 7, Hendrix 6, Krodell 4.

BOYS

WEST FORK 57, ELKINS 48

Four West Fork players scored in double figures, including 13 points each from Trusten DeSoto and Jeremy Hoornaert, to help the Tigers (21-3, 5-1) hold on for the road win.

Walker Fallen led Elkins (4-15, 3-4) with 17 points, but the Elks couldn’t rally back after falling behind 33-18.

The Tigers travel to Cedarville on Friday in a huge conference clash. West Fork’s lone league loss was to Cedarville earlier this season.

West Fork 15 18 12 12 — 57 Elkins 6 12 18 12 — 48

WEST FORK (21-3, 5-1): DeSoto 13, Hoornaert 13, Ferrell 11, Beasley 11, Wingate 5, England 4. ELKINS (4-15, 3-4): Fallen 17, White 10, Gash 9, Clark 6, Slammons 6.

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