WEST MADISON -- The Scott Skyhawks and the Tug valley Panthers have earned the top two seeds in the Class AA Region Four, Section Two high school boys basketball tournament.

Fifth-seeded Chapmanville and fourth-seeded Wayne will open the tournament Saturday at 7 p.m. at Logan High School, the site of all of the games.

The Chapmanville-Wayne winner will face top-seeded Tug Valley on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Second-seeded Scott will clash with third-seeded Tolsia in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader at approximately 8 p.m.

Tuesday’s winners will meet for the sectional title March 6 at 7:30 p.m.

“I was worried that our tough schedule and deceiving record would work against us when teams were seeded for the tournament, but I believe that our late-season wins over Harlan County, Ky., and St. Albans solidified our spot as the No. 2 seed," Scott coach Jason Kingery said.

"I like this new tournament setup, but I wish that all the teams in a sectional would have to play each other during the season, then the seeding could be done on teams’ sectional records against each other.”

As of Monday, Tolsia was 10-10 with regular-season games remaining against Wayne and Williamson. Scott entered this week with a 9-12 mark and had a regular-season game remaining at Lincoln County.

“I believe that our team is among the top eight or 10 Class AA teams in the state and playing what has been rated the toughest schedule in all of Class AA should really benefit us now," Kingery said. "We are not good enough to overlook any team in this sectional and still win, but if we stay focused and play hungry, we are capable of winning our sectional.

“Team defense is a very big key for us. Getting after it all four quarters enabled us to beat teams like Harlan County and St. Albans late in the season. Playing aggressive defense gives us a chance to win. Preparation is also a big key to the sectionals, and I promise our fans that I will have our team prepared to play.”

Advance tickets for Tuesday’s Scott-Tolsia contest will be sold in the Skyhawks' gym Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. All tickets are priced at $5. Fans are urged to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase advance tickets because a large crowd is expected for next Tuesday’s doubleheader at Logan.

“This five-team sectional creates a genuine tournament format," Kingery said. "That doubleheader next Tuesday to determine the two teams that will meet for the sectional title should be very exciting for basketball fans. Fans from Scott, Tug Valley, Tolsia and either Chapmanville or Wayne should pack that place.”

Tug Valley 51, Scott 45

A late-season battle between the two top seeds in the upcoming Class AA Region Four, Section Two tournament ended with the Panthers claiming a hard-fought home win over the Skyhawks last Thursday night.

The host Panthers used eight first-half points from Nathan Brewer along with four second-period points from Michael Evans to claim a 23-20 halftime advantage.

Scott senior guards Carl Shaffer (nine) and Steven McComas (seven) combined for 16 points during the first half.

Shaffer tallied eight of Scott’s 10 third-quarter points, hitting a pair of two-point goals and 4-of-5 free throws.

Evans had four Tug Valley markers as both teams managed 10 third-quarter points.

Tug Valley clinched the win with an 18-15 fourth-period effort in which Austin Vance netted six points. Shaffer poured in nine fourth-quarter points for Scott, including two three-pointers.

Shaffer finished with a game-high 26 points and a team-high nine rebounds. He netted five two-point hoops, a trio of three-pointers and 7-of-9 free throws.

McComas tossed in 11 points, including one three-pointer, and handed out six assists.

Junior forward Tyler Ramsey provided four points and five rebounds. Junior center Tyler Thompson contributed two points and five rebounds. Sophomore guard Billy Queen tallied two points.

Brewer (14) and Evans (12) combined for 26 points to pace Tug Valley. Channing Preece netted nine points, including Tug Valley’s only three-pointer.

Tug Valley hit 20 two-point goals, one three-pointer and 8-of-12 foul shots. Scott made 11 two-pointers, four three-pointers and 11-of-16 free throws.

Scott 62, St. Albans 55

After navigating a tough, road-heavy schedule, taming a group of fire-breathing Red Dragons in front of a fired-up home crowd on Senior Night really wasn’t an overwhelming chore for the Skyhawks.

It was, however, a huge opportunity for Scott.

How big was the Skyhawks' victory over the Red Dragons last Tuesday night? Tallying up the points of importance is like swishing a crucial three-pointer.

1. The Skyhawks posted an emotional Senior Night win over a team that had defeated them by 22 points (63-41) on Jan. 12.

2. Having faced a rugged regular-season schedule that sent them up against solid competition from Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, the win over the Class AAA Red Dragons provided some on-the-court, in-the-win-column proof that the Skyhawks have benefitted from facing tough competition. Surviving and dealing with more than a few bumpy road trips trained the Skyhawks in how to handle the Red Dragons.

3. Lastly, and most importantly, the memorable win over St. Albans enabled Scott to build more late-season momentum following its thrilling win at Harlan County, Ky.

“This win confirms that decisions we made concerning our schedule were the best decisions for our team after all," Scott coach Jason Kingery said. "According to the MetroNews Power Index, we faced the toughest schedule in all of Class AA, but we could have scheduled some softer teams rather than facing this schedule, and we could have played several more home games.

“If we had done that, we would have a better season record. We could have piled up an impressive won-lost record if we had gone the other direction with our scheduling, but we wouldn’t be nearly as good of a basketball team as we are right now. There is no way that we could have defeated a team like St. Albans if we hadn’t been battle-tested by our tough schedule.”

Scott raised its deceiving record to 9-11 with some fourth-quarter grit, erasing a four-point deficit with a 21-10 effort.

St. Albans, which led 29-23 at halftime and 45-41 after three frames, also emerged with a 9-11 mark.

Energized and motivated by some emotional pregame ceremonies honoring seniors Shayne Butcher, McComas and Shaffer, the Skyhawks bolted to a 12-2 lead.

Five points (a three-pointer and a short jumper) from McComas triggered the early spurt. Shaffer then tallied on a drive to the basket and junior center Chase Woodruff pumped in a 15-footer for a 12-2 lead.

St. Albans finally throttled some of Scott's energy, ending the opening stanza with a 7-0 run that sliced the Skyhawks' advantage to 12-9.

The Red Dragons continued that spurt into the second quarter as Aaron McNeil (eight) and Dom Yarbrough (seven) combined for 15 points to power a 20-11 second-period effort.

Yarbrough’s three-pointer with five minutes left in the period shot St. Albans into its first lead at 16-14. McNeil added two three-pointers before halftime as the visitors carried a 29-23 lead into intermission.

Shaffer (nine) and McComas (five) teamed up for 14 third-quarter points. McComas’ three-pointer pulled the Hawks within four points at 39-35 midway through the third stanza. Late in the quarter, Thompson’s offensive rebound and basket and Shaffer’s follow-up on his own miss knotted the score at 41-41.

Jon Austin’s back-to-back inside hoops sent the Red Dragons into the final frame with a 45-41 lead.

Shaffer netted six consecutive points on a short jumper and free throw followed by a three-pointer to ease the Skyhawks into a 47-45 lead to open the fourth quarter and kickstart a four-minute span of nip-and-tuck play that included two ties and three lead changes.

The three Scott seniors then helped the Skyhawks snare the lead for good.

Shaffer’s baseline drive shoved the Skyhawks into a 52-51 lead, McComas tossed in two free throws for a 54-51 advantage and Butcher stretched the lead to five at 56-51 when he netted a layup with just over two minutes remaining.

McComas hit 3-of-4 free throws during the next minute, while Thompson and Ramsey each added a free throw as Scott pulled into a commanding nine-point lead.

After committing 22 turnovers at St. Albans less than a month earlier, Scott won the turnover battle 17-12 and had just three turnovers during the second half.

The Skyhawks also blanked the Red Dragons in transition points during the second half after the visitors scored 12 transition points during the first half.

Shaffer (26 points and 10 rebounds) and McComas (21 points and six assists) spearheaded the Senior Night win. They each hit a trio of three-pointers.

Thompson added five points and nine rebounds. Ramsey contributed five points and six rebounds. Butcher and Woodruff chipped in three and two points, respectively.

The Skyhawks connected on 13 two-point goals, six three-pointers and 18-of-29 free throws. The Red Dragons netted 20 two-pointers, two three-pointers and 5-of-11 free throws.

Austin topped St. Albans with 17 points. McNeil and Yarbrough each tossed in 14.

"Our team wanted this win for our three seniors on Senior Night," Scott assistant coach Nick Cabell said. "One of the keys for us tonight was our effort on the boards. We knew that St. Albans would use their athletic ability to crash the boards. We matched their intensity and effort in going after every rebound and loose ball.

“It was very satisfying to get this win for our seniors, but this game means even more to our team as we near the sectional tournament. These big wins over Harlan County and St. Albans give us momentum and confidence as we prepare for sectional play. It is very important to go into the postseason on a high note.”

Scott visited Lincoln County on Monday. Results for that game were unavailable for this week's issue but will be published in next week’s edition.