By BOB REDD
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
PRINCETON — Moving on.
The Bluefield Lady Beavers advanced Class AA Region 3, Section 2 tournament play Tuesday night, coming from behind to top the James Monroe Lady Mavericks 64-59.
With the win Bluefield moves on to play PikeView on Thursday in the sectional championship game.
“We played them three times. The first two times we beat them by five, this time we beat them by six. They are the most improved team from the start of the year to the end of the year that I’ve seen and that’s a big attribute to their coach,” Bluefield head coach Tony Mallamaci said. “Their kids played extremely hard, they never gave up. We have trouble with them. They have a good team.”
James Monroe jumped ahead early on threes by Megan Bailey and Becca Sparks and claimed an 8-2 lead. Bluefield fought back and closed to within three on Jia Coppola’s three-point play with 90 seconds left in the first quarter. Dani Janutolo’s basket at the buzzer made it a one-point game.
In the second Bluefield had opportunities, but missed layups, errant free throws and turnovers kept the Lady Mavericks in the lead. Midway through the period the Lady Beavers drew even on Janutolo’s two free throws and took their first lead seconds later on a basket by Essence Brown.
Back charged the Lady Mavericks who knotted the game on Bailey’s three from the left baseline. In the last minute of the half James Monroe retook the lead on Bailee Jackson’s three and two free throws by Bailey. At the break James Monroe was ahead 33-28.
The Lady Mavs pushed out to their biggest lead early in the third quarter at 35-28, but it was Bluefield’s turn to make a charge. The Lady Beavers slowly climbed back and headed into the final eight minutes James Monroe held a slim 43-42 lead.
Jessica Hayden’s three ball 90 seconds into the fourth quarter tied the game at 45 and Janutolo dropped in a pair of free throws to give Bluefield a lead it would not relinquish. Late in the game the margin grew as high as 10 points, but James Monroe never quit playing to the final buzzer.
Coppola led Bluefield with 26 points and Janutolo added 15. Bailey topped the James Monroe scoring column with 17 and Cassie Weikle added 15.
“We were in a little stretch in the fourth quarter when we couldn’t find the basket and we got a couple of bad turnovers,” James Monroe head coach Mike Himes said. “Bluefield did what they had to do. They converted on our mistakes and they finished the game off the way they should have. We just couldn’t find a way to get to the basket.”

At Princeton High School
JAMES MONROE (9-12)
Bailee Jackson 3 2-3 8, Sydney Ballard 0 0-2 0, Laura Dransfield 0 0-0 0, Cassie Weikle 6 3-7 15, Megan Bailey 7 0-0 15, Becca Sparks 3 2-2 9, Holly Huffman 1 0-0 2, Laine Shiflet 3 2-3 8, Haleigh Ballengee 0 0-0 0, Kelli Ellison 0 0-0 0, Totals 23 9-17 59.
BLUEFIELD (15-4)
Emmaleigh Gallinger 3 3-6 9, Jia Coppola 9 8-14 26, Essence Brown 2 2-4 6, Jessica Hayden 1 0-1 3, Alyssa Lester 0 4-4 4, Sparrow Void 0 0-2 0, Dani Janutolo 5 5-9 15, Teryn Auville 0 0-0 0, Courtney Auville 0 0-0 0, Totals 20 22-40 64.
James Monroe.............17 16 10 16 — 59
Bluefield.......................16 12 14 22 — 64
3-point goals: JM 4 (Bailey 3, Sparks); B 1 (Hayden) Fouled out: JM: Shiflet, Sparks; B: Janutolo