Logan's Devin Maynard (23) dribbles away from Lincoln County's Lucas Johaim (24) during the second half of the Wildcats 59-35 win over the Panthers in the Class AAA Region IV Section 2 tournament Tuesday night at the Willie Akers Arena (Photo by Boothe Davis/Captured by the Moment Photography).
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
LOGAN A second half run propelled the Logan to the championship of the Class AAA Region IV Section 2 tournament as the Wildcats ran away with a 59-35 victory over the Lincoln County Panthers Tuesday night at the Willie Akers Arena.
Sixth-ranked and top-seed Logan will host second-seed Wayne Friday night. The Pioneers advanced to Friday's championship with a 57-53 win over third-seeded Scott in Tuesday's other sectional semifinal.
Logan won its sixth straight game and improved to 14-9 on the year.
Cole Blankenship and Matt Hatfield combined for 29 points and hit all nine of the Wildcats 3-pointers. Blankenship knocked down six 3's and scored 18 points while Hatfield had three 3's to finish with 11 points.
Lincoln County was able to hang with Logan for a half, but a 19-0 run spanning the final 5:01 of the third quarter and first 2:23 of the fourth quarter gave the Wildcats the cushion they needed to run away from the Panthers.
In a game very similar to the first meeting on February 6 where Logan jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first quarter, the Wildcats scored the game's first nine points and led 9-0 on Julius Clancy's layup with 4:46 to play in the first quarter.
Just like they did in the first meeting, Lincoln County rallied to score the next five points and closed the quarter on a 7-1 run and trailed 10-7 after one quarter of play.
The Panthers took their first lead of the game, 12-10, when Eli Smith scored with 6:43 remaining before halftime.
The lead change was first of six over the next 1:13 before three straight 3-pointers by Logan gave the Wildcats a lead they would never surrender.
Trailing 16-15, Blankenship hit the first of two straight 3's to give Logan an 18-16 lead with 5:30 to play before halftime. Hatfield finished off the 9-0 run with a 3 from the wing to give the Wildcats a 24-16 lead with 3:25 to play.
Lincoln County closed the deficit to three, 26-23, with 44 seconds to play before halftime on a 3-pointer from Greyson Ellis.
McCormick Ilderton scored off a feed from Clancy with just before the first half buzzer to give Logan a 28-23 halftime lead.
Lincoln County would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way as Logan led 46-27 after three quarters on Clancy's one-handed slam that electrified the Willie Akers faithful in attendance.
Smith led Lincoln County with 12 points and Wyatt Edward contributed eight points for the Panthers, who end the year with a record of 6-17.
Ivan Miller finished with 10 points giving Logan three double figure scorers.
Class AAA Region IV Section 2 Tournament (Willie Akers Arena-Logan, WV)
Logan 59, Lincoln County 35
Lincoln County Panthers (6-17)
Wood 1 1-2 3, Ellis 1 0-0 3, Shepherd 1 0-0 2, Shaffer 2 0-0 5, Smith 4 4-6 12, Dunlap 1 0-0 2, Edwards 4 0-0 8. Totals: 14 5-9 35.
Logan Wildcats (14-9)
Clancy 3 0-0 6, Hatfield 4 0-0 11, Blankenship 6 0-0 18, Sherod 3 1-1 7, Ilderton 3 1-2 7, Miller 4 2-2 10. Totals: 23 4-5 59.
Lincoln County 7 16 4 8- 35
Logan 10 18 18 13- 59
3-point field goals_Lincoln County 2 (Ellis, Shaffer), Logan 9 (Blankenship 6, Hatfield 3).
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