Parkersburg South’s Emilee Owens (10) puts up Fairland’s Bailey Russell defends during Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

PARKERSBURG – Proper place. Proper time. Proper person.

The fourth and final 3-pointer knocked down by Parkersburg South senior Emilee Owens on the gym floor she called home for four years turned out to be the game-winner as Team West Virginia pulled out a 79-75, double-overtime victory over Team Ohio in the Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis Basket Classic, Friday inside Rod Oldham Athletic Center.

Owens, who led the Patriots to a Class AAAA runner-up finish at the state basketball tournament earlier this month, scored a game-high 16 points and was selected as the Most Valuable Player for Team West Virginia.

Owens’ 3-pointer with 2:25 remaining in the second overtime put West Virginia in front 78-75.

“I thought my last game was going to be at the Charleston Civic Center, so to have one more game on my home floor and be the MVP, that’s great,” Owens said.

Caldwell’s Heather Saliba, left, chats with Parkersburg’s Amy Way prior to Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. Saliba was the head coach for the Ohio girls while Way was an assistant for the West Virginia girls (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

On the Team Ohio sidelines, the Fairland duo of Addison Godby and Bailey Russell provided the spark which erased a 21-point, second-quarter deficit. Godby, who finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds, made a vicious spin move near the post with 40 seconds remaining in regulation and converted the bucket to send the game into a first overtime tied at 72.

While Godby earned Most Valuable Player honors for her team, Russell also had an impact with her presence after scoring 12 of her 14 points after halftime.

“Bailey and I have been best friends our whole life — it was really cool to play with her one last time,” Godby said. “I also had a lot of fun meeting some of the new girls and playing in an event like this.”

Both overtimes consisted of running clocks — the first OT set for five minutes and the second OT for three minutes. Russell made one of two free throws to put Ohio in front 73-72 midway through the first extra session.

With the clock under a minute, Greenbrier West’s Kennedy Stewart made a 3-pointer. On the ensuing possession, a foul sent Belpre’s Chey Parsons to the line for two free throws. The Golden Eagle sank the first and with the clock continuing to move, team Ohio coach Heather Saliba used a timeout with 4.0 showing.

Belpre’s Chey Parsons goes up for a basket as Parkersburg’s Lucie Cline, left, and Kenslee Lemasters look on during Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

The brief pause in action did not faze Parsons as she made the second free throw.

As if the West Virginia players had been playing together for a lifetime, they ran the out of bounds play almost to perfection as multiple passes eventually found Stewart on the opposite side of halfcourt. Her toss, however, hit hard off the backboard without finding any part of the rim.

West Virginia pitched a shutout in the second overtime. Owens’ 3-pointer was later followed by a made free throw by Williamstown’s Arissa Burt at 18 seconds. After the make, the clock went into motion and Ohio was left with a desperation heavy by Godby deep beyond the arc.

Parkersburg’s Lucie Cline enjoyed a monster game with 11 points and 14 rebounds. A total of five Big Reds played their farewell game for team West Virginia and Parkersburg girls basketball coach Chris Murray.

“It was fun for the girls – it was just a good environment,” Murray said. “A few of the girls were frustrated by their play today, but they are great kids and I was just happy to get another chance to coach them and spend time with them.”

Fairland’s Addison Godby holds the ball as Williamstown’s Arissa Burt (30) and Parkersburg South’s Tae Richards defend during Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

Murray and Team Ohio’s coach – Saliba from Caldwell – had something in common in terms of both coaching with current PHS assistant Amy Way.

“Amy actually group-texted us both — she said we were taking this game way too seriously,” Murray laughed. “Heather’s a competitor. She is a great coach. I don’t want to lose and she don’t want to lose, so we kind of played to win at the end.

“Nobody wants to lose, but ultimately it doesn’t matter because we are raising money for a good cause.”

Stewart, who was recently named Class AAA co-Player of the Year, also pulled down 10 rebounds to go with her eight points.

At the outset, the game had all the making of a blowout as West Virginia pulled out to an 11-0 lead. Williamstown’s Anna Cosner scored seven points and Parkersburg’s Kennedy Porter added six points in the first half, which saw Ohio fall behind by as many as 21 points at 31-10.

Parkersburg’s Kennedy Porter, left, guards Marietta’s Hayleigh Chidester during Friday’s Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

West Virginia connected on its first four shots from the floor to open the second quarter before Ohio began to make a surge with a 15-2 run. By halftime, Ohio had cut the deficit to 39-29.

“I knew my girls would start getting in a groove,” Saliba said. “None of my girls had really played together. They had five PHS kids and the girls from Parkersburg South. So I knew it would take time for us to get into a groove.”

Ohio’s momentum carried into the second half as West Virginia misfired on its first 11 shot attempts. Three-pointers from Godbey and Russell made the gap disappear at 41-41.

Ohio enjoyed its first lead of the game when Federal Hocking’s Rorie Tabler made a three and Trimble’s Rilynn Fouts converted two free throws to put their club in front 50-58 with two-plus minutes left in the period.

“I didn’t see the Fairland girls in practice so I was curious to see how good they were,” Saliba said. “I hadn’t seen them play before, but they are great basketball players.”

The tide went back and forth in the fourth quarter. West Virginia led by as many as six (67-61) before Ohio responded with an 8-0 run. Burt’s 3-pointer at 3:22 remaining in regulation left Ohio trailing 70-69. The bucket marked West Virginia’s last made field goal in regulation.

“What a great game,” Saliba said. “I don’t know if this game has ever went into double-overtime.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com