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WEIRTON -- The story was the same in each half.
The Madonna boys basketball team built a double-digit advantage, and Valley battled back. The Blue Dons -- the No. 2 seed -- led by 12 in the second quarter before the third-seeded Lumberjacks pulled to within a point. Then, Madonna built a 15-point lead in the third before Valley fought back to close to within four points.
After trailing by 14 points, the Lumberjacks cut into their deficit with a 13-3 spurt to close to within 70-66, however, the Blue Dons ended the game on a 6-0 spurt to pull away and record a 76-66 victory in a West Virginia Class A Region 1 Section 1 Semifinal Monday night inside the Dube Dome.
"The kid from Valley shot lights out," Madonna (11-12) head coach George Vargo said. "He turned the lights out. He really shot the ball well. The Madonna coaching staff gives him a big applause. Big congratulations to him. The kid was really good tonight. All the accolades go to him."
That kid was Valley sharpshooter Gavin Derby. Derby delivered a game-high 34 points to lead the way for the Lumberjacks. The junior standout hit six 3-pointers in the game.
The visitors from Wetzel County battled, but their deficit was too big to overcome.
"We were really shorthanded tonight," Valley (6-17) head coach Jeff Derby said. "Our starting center had to go to the emergency room today, and he was unable to make it to the game.
"We battled back … but Madonna is a great team. They don't stop."
With the win, Madonna will play No. 1 seed Cameron (18-5) in the sectional final Friday night on the road at the Dragon Indoor Stadium. Cameron defeated Hundred, 90-43, Monday night in the other semifinal. The Hornets ended the season with a record of 6-17.
The game will be the fourth meeting this season between the Blue Dons and the Dragons. The Marshall Countians have won two of the three games this season.
"Cameron has five offensive players," Vargo said. "They work together, they play together and they have been together. They also have five defensive players. Tom Hart has a really nice basketball team.
"We split with them, but then they beat us in the OVAC game. We know we can play with them. We know we can beat them. We'll go down and see what happens on Friday."
The Blue Dons and Lumberjacks each went on runs throughout the semifinal game.
The score was close early on, but the boys in white went on a run in the final couple of minutes of the first quarter to enable Madonna to take a 24-14 lead at the end of the quarter.
The hosts tallied the first basket of the second stanza to go up 26-14, but the boys in black hit back-to-back 3-pointer to pull within six forcing Vargo to call a timeout. The hosts responded with a 5-0 spurt to go ahead 31-20, but the visitors ended the half on a 17-8 run to close to within 39-37 at halftime.
Valley had a chance to take a 40-39 lead in the waning seconds, but a 3-pointer was off the mark and Madonna came down with the rebound. The Blue Dons had time for a desperation heave, but it too was off the mark keeping it a two-point game going into the locker room.
The two teams traded 3s to start the third before Madonna recorded a 13-0 run to build a 55-40 lead with 3:34 left to play in the quarter. The victors led 59-46 entering the fourth.
"Rebounding and transition," Vargo said about what enabled his team to build its double-digit leads. "That is why we were able to take charge. We probably scored 20 points in transition tonight.
"It was our transition points versus the 3. Derby hit a lot of 3s. He kept on hitting shots. Him and his buddies kept making shots."
The Lumberjacks continued to claw their way back into the game in the fourth. The Blue Dons took a 67-53 lead, however, eight quick points pulled the Lumberjacks to within six points. Valley got within four points, but Madonna put the game away at the free-throw line.
"We changed our defense in the second half," Vargo said. "We moved Chase Littleton from back by the basket up to the foul line. He was on No. 3 (Gavin Derby). He did not stop him, but he slowed him down. Chase did a good job on him.
"He scored 19 points in the first half and 15 in the second half. The kid had a harder time shooting with Chase on him. Then, he started shooting from half court, and he still made them.
"We live to play another day. We live another day. What do they say in college basketball? Survive and advance? We survived and advanced.
"We scored 76 points tonight. I can't complain about that. If you score 70 in a high school, you are going to win a lot of games. I will be happy if we score 70 Friday night."
The Blue Dons won all three meetings with the Lumberjacks this season.
"It has been a pleasure," Coach Derby said about coaching against Vargo. "Coach Vargo is a great guy and a great coach. I have only been doing this for three years."
Vargo is set to retire at the end of this season.
Anthony Mascio scored a team-high 28 points to lead the way offensively for Madonna. Mascio was one of three Blue Dons to end the night in double figures as Littleton netted 16 points, Reed Wilharm delivered 15 and Luca Muzzi contributed nine.
"When Anthony Mascio scores 25 points we usually win the game," Vargo said. "He scored 28 tonight. He had a nice game. He did not score in the fourth quarter. I don't know what happened there. He had 28 points in three quarters.
"Chase Littleton scored 16 points. That is a big plus for us. Our young freshmen scored 15 tonight. If Reed continues to shoot like that, we are going to stay in games.
"That is what happened in the Clay-Battelle game. We lost by one. We had three guys in double figures."
Dallas Preat produced 13 points for Valley, while Koleton Kinkade collected 11.
"What could have been," Coach Derby said asked how he is going to look back on this year's season.
The Lumberjacks made 14 3-pointers on the night, while the Blue Dons made six.
"This could have been my last game here, but I am not thinking about that," Vargo said. "The season is not over. When the season is over, and I turn out the lights for the last time and I shut this door, I will know it is over."
Regardless of what happens Friday night, Madonna will play in a regional co-final Tuesday night. If the Blue Dons beat the Dragons and win the sectional championship, Madonna will be at home against the runner-up of Section 2. If Cameron wins Friday night, the Blue Dons will be on the road against the Section 2 champion.
"If this was my last game at the Dube Dome, I want to thank the coaches in the OVAC and the WVSSAC and the fans who cheered for me and cheered against me. This run has been a lot of fun."
Madonna 76, Valley 66
Valley 14 23 9 20 – 66
Madonna 24 15 20 17 – 76
VALLEY (6-17): Preat 5 0-2 13, Derby 13 2-4 34, Howell 1 0-0 2, Morgan 2 0-0 6, Shimp 0 0-0 0, Kinkade 4 0-0 11. TOTALS: 25 2-6 66.
MADONNA (11-12): Mascio 12 1-2 28, DoBraska 0 4-6 4, Miller 1 0-0 2, Crossland 1 0-0 2, Muzzi 4 1-2 9, Littleton 8 0-1 16, Connors 0 0-0 0, Wilharm 5 2-4 15. TOTALS: 31 8-15 76.
3-POINTERS: Valley 14 (Derby 6, Preat 3, Kinkade 3, Morgan 2); Madonna 6 (Mascio 3, Wilharm 3)