By ANTHONY STEVENS
Bluefield Daily Telegraph

BRISTOL, Va. — It will be a rematch in the Virginia Tip-Off Tournament at the Bearcat Den. Lebanon and Richlands will battle for the title, the same finalists as last year. The Blue Tornado took a hard fought 47-43 win over Virginia High in the semifinals Friday to advance.

“It was a struggle,” Richlands coach Dennis Palmer said. “Virginia High played a real good man defense, giving a lot of help and switching a lot. They did a great job. But in the course of the season you have to win games like this that you struggle in.”

Richlands (2-0) led by as many as eight points in the first half. But the Bearcats finished out the second quarter with a flourish. When Breanna Duff hit a 3 from the right corner it gave Virginia High (2-3) a 24-19 lead at the half.

The Blues began to methodically battle back in the third quarter. Montana Hearl scored on a drive to the basket to tie it up at 29-all. The next possession Brittany Allen made a 3-pointer from the right wing and then Allen scored on a transition layup to get Richlands going.

“We really needed Brittany tonight,” said Palmer. “We were staggering on offense, we didn’t get a lot of movement. We stood around a lot.”

Allen finished with 26 points. Seven of those points came in the third, when the Blue Tornado went on an 11-0 run.

“It was really tough,” Allen said. “Virginia High played really good defense. They are really quick but I’m glad my teammates fought the whole game and was able to get the win.

“We really need to start playing better early instead of waiting until the second half. But this is only our second game and I think we will get used to things and start playing better the entire game.”

Virginia High overcame a couple of obstacles and hung with the Blues in the fourth quarter. Teonna Austin fouled out with over three minutes left to play and Duff also picked up her fifth foul later in the contest.

“We got in some foul trouble and made some mental mistakes,” Lee Walker Virginia High’s coach said. “But these are young kids and they played their hearts out. That’s what counts.”

The Bearcats pulled within one with just over two minutes to play, but they missed their final five shots. Allen scored on a drive and hit a free throw for the final margin.

“Allen just keeps going and going,” Walker said. “You have to give her credit, she’s a senior and that’s what the good seniors do.”

The defending Tip-Off champs will go for two in a row tonight.

RICHLANDS

Hearl 4 0-0 8, Ashiq 2 2-4 6, Allen 7 10-16 26, Harmon 0 0-0 0, Compton 3 1-2 7, Reinhart 0 0-0 0, Sword 0 0-0 0, Casey 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 13-22 47.

VIRGINIA HIGH

Duff 3 0-0 8, Austin 2 1-6 5, Wilson 4 1-2 12, Bryant 2 0-0 6, Nave 5 2-3 12, Heightshoe 0 0-0 0, Simpson 0 0-2 0. Totals 16 4-13 43.

Richlands .................11 8 17 11 — 47

Va. High......................7 17 8 11 — 43

3-point goals – Richlands 2 (Allen 2), Virginia High 7 (Duff 2, Wilson 3, Bryant 2). Total fouls – Richlands 12, Virginia High 21. Fouled out – Austin, Duff. Technicals – none.