East Hardy advances to Final Four, defeating Clay-Battelle

East Hardy has advanced to the Final Four after a convincing victory over Clay-Battelle. The Cougars, ranked third, won the game 51-34 in the Class A state quarterfinals held at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. The Cougars started strong, leading 13-11 after the first quarter. They expanded their lead in the second quarter, outscoring Clay-Battelle 17-5, and went into halftime ahead 30-16. By the end of the third quarter, East Hardy was leading 41-24. Evan Hamilton was the star player for East Hardy, scoring 20 points and making four three-pointers. He also had five steals. Jordan Teets contributed 14 points, hitting four triples as well. Joseph Price added nine points, while Mason Hamilton provided support with four points, five rebounds, six assists, and five steals. Gideon Good also made a significant impact with a double-double, recording 12 rebounds and 11 blocks. For Clay-Battelle, Preston Luzader was the top scorer with 11 points and eight rebounds. East Hardy now looks ahead to the semifinals, where they will face their rival Tucker County on Friday night. Tucker County won both games against East Hardy during the regular season.