The Green Lady Bobcats captured a Division IV girls basketball sectional championship on Thursday night, defeating Eastern 52-40 at Portsmouth High School’s Trojan Arena.

Courtesy of Joann Waugh

PORTSMOUTH — Abbie Knapp poured in a game-high 22 points, and fellow freshman Matti Hayslip added 16, as the Green Lady Bobcats captured a Division IV girls basketball sectional championship on Thursday night — with a 52-40 win over (Pike) Eastern inside Trojan Arena at Portsmouth High School.

The last time Green (13-8) won the sectional crown was in 2021 — part of back-to-back sectional championships.

“This win feels really good,” Green coach Melissa Knapp said. “I know how hard these girls have worked to get here and it means a lot.”

Abbie Knapp, a 6-1 freshman, also pulled down 10 rebounds and had eight blocks in the victory, despite having a defender on her the entire game no matter where she went.

In the first half, she was limited to seven points.

“I’ve learned to just keep playing when that happens,” Abbie Knapp said. “In the first half, my teammates stepped up and got it done like they have all year. In the second half, I was able to pick it up some and get some open shots.”

Green freshman Abbie Knapp (50) goes up for a layup over Eastern freshman Brynna Detty (4) during Thursday night’s Division IV girls basketball sectional championship game at Portsmouth High School.

Courtesy of Joann Waugh

Coach Knapp said she anticipated the gameplan by Eastern, because the last two times Green has played the Lady Eagles, Abbie scored 42 and 41 points.

“That was an excellent gameplan as far as Eastern went,” she said. “We knew they would be ready because we’ve beat them twice already. Darren (King) is an excellent coach, and we knew he’d have them prepared. That was their gameplan– to stop and frustrate Abbie.”

That plan was effective early in the first quarter, as Eastern (5-16) kept pace with a baseline runner by Liberty Ward and a layup by Laken Gullett for a 6-3 lead.

Gullett, a 5-6 sophomore, led the way for Eastern with 15 points on the night — while teammate Cylie Weaver added 10 points.

But Green quickly countered, and got a bucket from an offensive rebound by Mylee Hunt and a layup from Ava Abrams on an assist pass from Knapp.

The Lady Bobcats retook the lead at 8-6.

“I was really pleased with how other players stepped up early in the game when we saw their gameplan,” Coach Knapp said. “Sometimes we have a tendency to rely on Abbie and Matti (Hayslip) and be spectators. I want them all to be involved in the offense, and it was so good to see them step up, especially when they needed to.”

Eastern stayed close in the second quarter, and got to within two points at 18-16 — when Brynna Detty scored a pair of buckets.

But the Lady Bobcats went on a 9-0 run that included a three-pointer from Hayslip, a steal and pull-up shot by Abrams, and a Knapp steal and coast-to-coast layup for the 27-16 halftime lead.

Hayslip, a 5-3 freshman, knocked down four three-pointers in the Lady Bobcats’ win.

“I just wanted to find a rhythm and just keep shooting,” Hayslip said.

She finished with six field goals, while Knapp netted nine.

Hunt and Abrams added two field goals apiece.

Green’s Mylee Hunt (14) and Ava Abrams (33) battle Eastern’s Cylie Weaver (3) for a rebound during Thursday night’s Division IV girls basketball sectional championship game at Portsmouth High School.

Courtesy of Joann Waugh

The Lady Bobcats came out hot in the third quarter — when Knapp scored inside and followed that with a three-point bank shot for a 32-19 advantage.

The Lady Eagles then put together back-to-back shots, capped by a Ward offensive rebound for two points, to close the gap to 32-23.

At that point, Knapp then called timeout to gather her players.

“I told them to calm down and not to panic,” she said “We get too comfortable at times with a lead. I’ve seen this before from this group. We start turning the ball over and making bad decision and we don’t play hard. I had to get them over here and talk to them and let them know we’ve been here before.”

Another Knapp block that resulted in a layup, and then a three-pointer from Mylee Brown, put Green ahead by 10 points again — at 37-27 with 2:02 to go in the third period.

Brown bagged two three-point goals.

A three-pointer from Gullett brought the Lady Eagles to within 45-36, but that was countered by a Hayslip trifecta, and another Knapp left-handed scoop shot for two points in the fourth to extend the lead.

“I thought we responded well when we needed to,” Coach Knapp said. “Eastern made little runs, but we answered and stopped those runs.”

The sixth-seeded Lady Bobcats will now play third-seeded and 19-4 South Gallia —in the Southeast District Division IV semifinals next Saturday (Feb. 24) afternoon.

This will be their fourth meeting in the last five postseasons —as the Lady Rebels return most of their nucleus from last season’s Region 15 semifinalist squad.

Tipoff time is set for 1:45 p.m. at Wellston High School.

Green sophomore Ava Abrams (33) attempts a jump shot during the Lady Bobcats’ Division IV girls basketball sectional championship game against Eastern on Thursday night at Portsmouth High School.

Courtesy of Joann Waugh

* * *

Eastern 10 6 16 8 — 40

Green 11 16 14 11 —52

EASTERN 40 (5-16)

Cylie Weaver 2 5-9 10, Brynna Detty 2 1-2 5, Laken Gullett 6 2-3 15, Madison Shuter 2 0-0 4, Liberty Ward 3 0-2 6, TOTALS 15 8-16 40; Three-point goals: 2 (Cylie Waver and Laken Gullett 1 apiece)

GREEN 52 (13-8)

Mylee Hunt 2 0-0 4, Mylee Brown 2 0-0 6, Ava Abrams 2 0-0 4, Matti Hayslip 6 0-2 16, Abbie Knapp 9 3-6 22; TOTALS 21 3-8 52; Three-point goals: 7 (Matti Hayslip 4, Mylee Brown 2, Abbie Knapp 1)