By BRIAN WOODSON

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

RICHLANDS, Va. _ The defending Region IV Division 3 champions will try to do it again.

Jordyn Cole and Brittany Allen scored 17 points each and Mackenley Davis canned 15, as the Richlands Lady Blues defeated Martinsville 63-46 in the Region IV semifinals at Richlands Middle School on Thursday night.

Richlands (16-9), which won its first-ever regional title last season, will try to make it two in a row tonight against Southwest District foe Abingdon, which defeated Patrick County 47-40 in the other semifinal game.

Both Richlands and Abingdon also qualified for state tournament play next week.

“It is amazing, I am so glad the only two years I have played varsity (we are playing for the regional title),” said Allen, who is just a sophomore. “We have really worked hard and we are looking forward to it.”

While Abingdon enters with an unimpressive 6-21 record, the Falcons are 6-2 since starting the season 0-19.

“Abingdon is on a roll right now, I think they have won six out of eight and they are playing real well,” Richlands head coach Dennis Palmer said. “We are going to have to come out and play real well against them, they are hot right now, they can beat us.”

The Lady Blues beat the Falcons twice during the season, 60-38 and 49-42, but those decisions matter little now.

“You have basically got to look at their last two weeks how they have played,” Palmer said. “They have played real well the last two weeks so those 21 losses don’t mean anything right now.”

Richlands used a pair of big runs, 11-0 in the opening quarter and 14-0 in the second, to build a 27-9 lead behind a trio of 3s by Davis and 10 points from Allen.

“We definitely came out ready to play tonight,” Allen said. “We knew that they were a good, quick team and if we did not come out ready to play then we would not win.”

Martinsville (12-13) actually led 4-0 on a 3 and a free throw from Monisha Manns to start the game, but the Blues outscored the Bulldogs 27-5 to build the 18-point lead.

“I think tonight was the probably the best we have played as far as execution and moving the ball and passing the ball and hitting the open player,” Palmer said. “I thought we really moved the ball well tonight and really executed well on offense.”

Martinsville (12-13), which was led by Marissa Hairston with 17 points and 10 from Manns, cut the margin to 29-17 at the break, led by eight points and two of the Bulldogs’ four first half threes from Hairston.

“Defensively, I thought we played real well trying to shut down their point guard (Hairston) who is an excellent athlete,” Palmer said. “She is their best scorer and their post player, Manns, we kind of stepped up and shut them two down a little bit.

“I thought we executed both offense and defense probably the best we have all season.”

There was also the glass. Richlands had the rebounding edge, led by Cole and Rachel Alley, while while the Blues also ran the floor behind Allen and Cassie Richardson. That duo, along with Cole and Davis also combined for numerous steals against the Bulldogs. Richardson had seven points in the win.

“We heard that they would definitely go after the rebounds so we knew right off the bat that we had to box out and get every single rebound possible,” Allen said.

Martinsville was able to pull within 10, at 36-26, with 3:12 to go in the third quarter before the Lady Blues struck from deep, led by Cole, who hit two 3s, and Allen added one. Much like Davis in the first half, Cole proved to be the difference from long distance after the break.

Richlands made six 3s in the game, while Martinsville had seven, including three by Hairston. Davis connected for three for the Blues, while Cole had two.

“Mackenley kind of stepped up, she hasn’t been shooting the ball real well, she stepped up tonight and hit some shots,” Palmer said. “She hit those shots and Jordyn stepped up and hit those shots and that opens everything up for Brittany and Cassie to do some things one on one.

“Those two really stepped up and hit some shots which opened our offense up.”

Richlands went on a 9-3 run to end the quarter to lead 45-29 and kept it going after the break, with a free throw by Allen putting the Blues up by 20, 56-36, with 4:14 left in the game.

Martinsville was cut it to 14, but it was too late for a comeback, as both Piedmont District schools in attendance on Thursday fell to teams from the SWD.

Up next is a third game with Abingdon, and the Blues know all about the old adage about beating a team three times.

“We beat them both times, but we have got to come out ready to play tomorrow,” Allen said. “They have definitely played a lot better now, but if we play our game we shouldn’t have a problem.”

Not only is tonight’s 7 p.m. tip-off for the Region IV title, it would provide Richlands a shorter trip next Saturday for the Group AA, Division 3 state quarterfinals slated for Virginia High. If they lose the trip is much longer.

“For a regional championship it is big, plus having to travel to Harrisonburg or Virginia High is big too,” Palmer said. “We would rather go to Virginia High.”

Richlands won its first ever regional title last season with a win over Patrick County. Tonight they go for two in a row against a familiar foe.

“We know what it is like now,” Allen said. “We just have to take it one game at a time and just work hard.”

_Contact Brian Woodson at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

MARTINSVILLE (12-13)

Destiny Mitchell 1 0-0 3, Marissa Hairston 6 2-5 17, Shonda Law 0 1-2 1, Monisha Manns 3 3-8 10, Olivia Robertson 0 0-0 0, Alison Stokes 1 0-0 2, Jerica Shelton 0 0-0 0, Jasmine Jamison 0 0-0 0, Tabitha Grant 2 2-4 6, Terrica Hairston 1 0-0 3, Kirsten Eggleston 0 0-0 0, Kemoni Thomas 1 1-2 4. Totals 15 9-21 46.

RICHLANDS (16-9)

Mackenley Davis 4 4-8 15, Cassie Richardson 3 1-2 7, Brittany Allen 5 6-8 17, Jordyn Cole 7 1-2 17, Rachel Alley 2 0-0 4, Montana Hearl 0 1-2 1, Meagan Casey 0 0-0 0, Sarah Compton 1 0-0 2, Kelli Hess 0 0-0 0, Hannah Alley 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 13-22 63.

Martinsville……………9 8 14 15 _ 46

Richlands…………..13 16 16 18 _ 63

3-point goals: MV 7 (M.Hairston 3, T.Hairston 1, Thomas 1, Mitchell 1, Manns 1); RL 6 (Davis 3, Cole 2, Allen 1). Total fouls: MV 20; RL 15. Fouled out: none. Technicals: none.