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WEIRTON -- everything changed in a Weirton minute and then changed back again.
The Weir girls' basketball team trailed Wheeling Central by five at halftime, however, the Maroon Knights built a 23-point advantage moments into the fourth quarter. The Red Riders refused to go away quietly, and the hosts stormed back to pull within six points late in the game.
The Red Riders had a chance to pull to within three, however, a 3-pointer came up short, the Ohio Countians gained position of the ball and Wheeling Central was able to hold on for a 79-71 victory Thursday night on Ron "Fritz" Williams Court inside the Carl Hamill Fieldhouse.
Wheeling Central led 37-32 at halftime before erupting for 31 points in the third quarter. An early basket capped the Maroon Knights' 33-15 run as the visitors build a 70-47 advantage.
"They got some runouts," Weir (3-4) head coach Rick Stead said about what Wheeling Central was able to do to build its big lead. "We watched film, and they release one or two girls. The offense shoots the ball, and once the shot goes up, they release down the court. They were able to get runouts. We had to adjust. They got runouts. We took shots, and they would release down the floor. They're disciplined. They were able to get out in transition and score."
The visitors made 14 field goals in the third -- three of which were 3-pointers.
"We talked in the locker room, and we made a couple of adjustments," Wheeling Central (7-0) head coach Roberta Olejasz said. "We wanted to start playing fast. Basketball is a game of runs. We like to play fast. We want to get out and run. We did not do that in the first half. We played a lot in our sets. In the second half, we played faster."
Trailing by 23, the Red Riders refused to throw in the towel as they staged a furious comeback. Weir hit four 3-pointers in the fourth and converted two three-point plays to pull within 77-71 with 1:01 still showing on the scoreboard clock. The hosts outscored the Maroon-and-White, 24-7, during their run.
"The kids played good defense," Stead said asked how his team was able to get back into the ballgame. "(Brayley) Lash hit a couple of 3s in our offensive series, and that was big. That helped us get back into the game.
"The girls moved the ball. They played good defense. We helped out on (Kaitlyn) Blake. She's a really good basketball player. We helped out on her, and she went to the other side for a jump hook.
"We moved the ball. We got some shots. We took some good shots, and we were able to convert.
"They just got us in the third quarter. They outscored us in the third quarter. They were able to get runouts in the third quarter.
"I am proud of the girls. I tell them every week that if they play like they are capable, you can compete with anybody. They are doubling teams up. They beat Wyoming East over the weekend. It was a two-point game. It was a close game.
"I am proud of these girls. They did not quit. It is easy to fold. We did not quit. we played good basketball. We did what we are supposed to do. Everybody played well. We played good defense. We shot the ball well. We played as a team. We played together. We shared the basketball."
An empty possession by Wheeling Central gave Weir a chance to draw even closer, however, the home team was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, and the victors hit a pair of shots from the free-throw line to ice the game.
The Maroon Knights made just four field goals in the fourth.
"They hit shots," Olejasz said asked what Weir was able to do to get back into the game. "They hit some outside shots. No. 5 (Lash) got some good looks and made some 3s. We left people open. We don't usually do that. We were lackadaisical on defense in the fourth quarter."
The Red Riders recorded nine baskets from beyond the arc in the game, while Wheeling Central tallied four.
Lash led a trio of Weir players in double digits with a team-high 20 points. Lash finished the night with six 3-pointers.
"She shot the ball Well," Stead said about Lash. She got into a groove. She found her shot. She was in good position. She found the range. She played with confidence."
Also for the Red Riders, Rayna Hoover delivered 19 points, Janai Turner contributed 12 and Maleea Faulks and Eliza Utt each tallied eight.
"Eliza Utt got six or eight points early on," Stead said. "Rayna got to the basket. Janai hit some big shots. Maleea Faulks is our unsung hero. She comes everyday. She doesn't say much. She plays defense. She gets rebounds and putbacks. She does a great job.
"I want to give a lot of credit to our kids. They did a great job."
They players also produced double digits in points for the Maroon Knights. Individually, Blake tallied a game-high 29 points, while Seneca Heller and Addie Payton each netted 20.
"Having three or four girls in double figures is typical for us," Olejasz said. "That is typical for us. They played tough defense, but Addie Payton, Seneca Heller and Kaitlyn Blake all scored in double figures for us. That was a trifecta. Bella Fitzsimmons and Haley Severns played good defense for us.
Payton made a of Wheeling Central's 3-pointers in the win.
The Maroon Knights got off to a fast start in the game as they built a 23-15 advantage at the end of the first.
"Rick is a really good coach," Olejasz said. "They are well coached. They play tenacious defense. They double teamed and tripled team Kaitlyn. She was able to find open people, and we were able to hit some outside shots."
Weir outscored Wheeling Central, 17-14, in the second to pull within five points at halftime.
"Not really," Stead said asked if Wheeling Central did anything unexpected in the game. "I thought they would use their 2-2-1 full-court press and their 2-2-1 half-court press, but they did not press us that much. I expected them to press us more. We had to adjust to their 2-2-1 half-court press. We got the ball inside, and then we got it outside. We got shots inside or outside."
Wheeling Central is scheduled to play Indian Creek at noon Saturday in the Buckeye 8 Challenge.
Weir is slated to play Hancock County rival Oak Glen Monday night at home.
"I am proud of the girls," Stead said. "I am proud of their effort. The kids played really hard. They just got some runouts in the third."
Wheeling Central 79, Weir 71
Wheeling Central 23 14 31 11 – 79
Weir 15 17 15 24 – 71
WHEELING CENTRAL (7-0): Severns 1 0-0 2, Miehle 1 0-0 2, Fitzsimmons 3 0-0 6, S. Heller 8 4-7 20, A. Payton 8 0-0 20, Poyser 0 0-0 0, Blake 12 5-5 29. TOTALS: 23 9-12 79.
WEIR (3-4): Turner 4 2-4 12, Lash 7 0-0 20, Faulks 4 0-0 8, Hoover 7 4-7 19, Weber 2 0-0 4, Utt 3 2-3 8, Baltimore 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 27 8-14 71.
3-POINTERS: Wheeling Central 4 (Payton 4); Weir 9 (Lash 6, Turner 2, Hoover)