Top players in Class AAAA Region 3, Section 2 tournament

<div dir="ltr"><strong>By Dave Morrison</strong></div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">There are several outstanding players and prospects playing in he Class AAAA Region 3, Section 1 tournament, from the unheralded Lay-Lay Wilborn of Princeton, elite freshman Elijah Redfern of Woodrow Wilson, the big talent of Greenbrier East’s [player_tooltip player_id="1051403" first="Bailee" last="Coles"] to the shooter supreme [player_tooltip player_id="977602" first="Jacob" last="Perdue"] of Oak Hill.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Hers is a look around the section and the talent that lies within.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">It’s been a big season already for the Greenbrier East Spartans, including a regular-season sweep of Woodrow Wilson, a feat which has not happened since the bicentennial year of 1976.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">None of the coaches in Tuesday’s Class AAAA Region 3, Section 1 tournament had even hit high school yet. The tournament begins Tuesday when Woodrow Wilson (7-11) travels to Princeton (10-3) Tuesday and Greenbrier East (9-2) hosts Oak Hill (5-5) Wednesday.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">The Spartans are the favorite to win the section and host a Region co-final.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">It’s not a fluke, the Spartans have one of the state’s best players in senior [player_tooltip player_id="1051403" first="Bailee" last="Coles"].</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/COLES-400.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1173290 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/COLES-400-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>Coles has been lights out when he has been healthy, averaging 22.8 points per game. It’s the health that has been the problem. Coles missed five games after sustaining a lower leg injury against Woodrow Wilson on March 25.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">He returned when the Spartans and Flying Eagles met April 6, but again sustained a leg injury.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">The good news is that Coles is expected back at full speed Wednesday against Oak Hill.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">If there is any bad news its that East has not played since that game April 6, the second near two-week hiatus for the Spartans.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">An injury to a top player, especially an elite player, could cripple many teams. But not many players have [player_tooltip player_id="977546" first="William" last="Gabbert"] available to pick up the slack.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">The senior did just that, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter of that first Woodrow Wilson game after Coles went out, and he didn’t stop.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">He finished that game with 25, then in the next five had 29, 26, 20, 34 and 13, the last game against Shady Spring. He rebounded when Coles returned against Beckley scoring 27.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Gabbert averaged 21.1 points per game and had 40 3s, 25 in the last six games.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">He and Coles are the only duo in the area averaging over 20 points per game.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">With that two headed monster intact for the postseason, Greenbrier East is a hand full for any team to stop.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">The Spartans also feature an outstanding supporting cast, including two players who were former starters who now come off the bench.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Coach Bimbo Coles more than once lauded those players as “true team players” and pointed to the depth it has provided the Spartans. Five other players had double figure games, including Adam Seams, Tucker Via, Monquelle Davis, Sam Aultz and Goose Gabbert, who sustained a broken wrist and is likely out for the season. Quinton Wilson had two games of nine points.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">With that firepower it will be tough to stop Greenbrier East. THe biggest potential pitfall may be the Spartans are coming off a second 15-day layoff of the season.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Oak Hill had its own Covid delay this season. After winning its first three games upon return, the Red Devils are currently on a three-game losing streak, including losses to section foes Woodrow and Princeton.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Both those games were winnable contests, the Red Devils falling to Woodrow 53-48 and Princeton 65-58.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Perdue-400.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1173292 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Perdue-400-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>The Red Devils junior [player_tooltip player_id="977602" first="Jacob" last="Perdue"] has been consistent for Oak Hill, averaging 16.9 points with eight double figure games in 10 starts (he had eight and nine in the other two. He is also one of just two players in the area with at least two 3s in every game, along with James Monroe’s [player_tooltip player_id="977605" first="Shad" last="Sauvage"]. Perdue has 30 3s.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Ethan Vargo-Thomas has really come on after the Red Devils covid stoppage, scoring double figures in all six games, including a career-high 21 against PikeView. The sophomore, one of the state’s best young kicking prospects on the football side, averaged 4.0 points pre stoppage and 14.1 points in the six game since. He is averaging 10.1 ppg.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Sammy Crist seems to have regained his early-season scoring form. The junior has scored 40 points in his last two games (21 and 19) and has six of his 15 3s in the last two games. He is averaging 10.5 points per game.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Oak Hill is averaging 7.6 3s per game, third in the area behind Shady Spring (9.2) and the Spartans (8.1) they will face Wednesday.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Tonight Woodrow Wilson and Princeton meet for the second time in a week.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Woodrow continued its improved play with a 60-41 victory over the Tigers on April 15. The game will be in Princeton, where the Tigers turned back the Flying Eagles 65-55 March 23.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Woodrow is one of the few teams in the state that was able to play a full compliment of 18 games.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">In that 18 the Flying Eagles faced nine of the 10 teams in the Class AAAA AP Top 10.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Coach Ron Kidd said the schedule had originally been a little more friendly to his young team - but he had to add teams along the way to set up a full schedule for his team.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">[player_tooltip player_id="977514" first="Ben" last="Gilliam"], who Saturday signed to continue his career with Davis and Elkins, finished the regular season averaging a double-double for the second straight year.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Big Ben, a 6-foot-6 player with an old-school mentality, actually averaged more rebounds (12.9) than points (12.6) during the regular season.</div> <div dir="ltr">Maddex McMillen averaged 11.4 points per game, and 5.9 rebounds and after having four double figure games in his first 11 games (he missed two games early) has scored in double figures in five straight. He had a career-high 29 against Bluefield.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Elite freshman Elijah Redfern is finally healthy and averaged 8.2 ppg, including four double figure games in the last five. He is 19-24 (79.2%) at the line, key for a team shooting 59 percent at the line.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">[player_tooltip player_id="1051563" first="Dwayne" last="Richardson"] averages 8.2 and leads the team with 3.8 assists.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Keynan Cook averaged 7.6 points and K.K. Slay averages 5.4.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Princeton has had a solid season, its only losses during a 10-win season coming to South Charleston, PikeView and Woodrow.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Lay-Lay Wilborn has been one of the real surprises in the area, averaging 20.2 points per game. Until being held to six points against Woodrow (the only two games he was held under 10 were the two games vs. Beckley) he has scored over 22 in the previous four games. He had a career-high 36 against county rival Bluefield (and he had 33 in the other game against the Beavers). He has eight 20-plus games this season.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">His teammate [player_tooltip player_id="977533" first="Ethan" last="Parsons"] has also had just two games where he didn’t reach double figures.</div> <div dir="ltr">Parsons averaged 17.5 point per game and has scored in double figures in eight straight.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr">Chase Hancock, also averaged in double figures for the Tigers, netting 10.9 points per game with a team-high 25 3s.</div>