Ritchie County rallied from a double-digit second-half deficit to defeat Tucker County 38–34 in a thrilling Class A quarterfinal matchup at the 2026 WVSSAC Girls Basketball State Tournament in Charleston, West Virginia.

The Mountain Lions controlled much of the early action as Chelsie Jeffrey gave Ritchie County an early lead before Tucker County responded behind Izzy Kitzmiller, who knocked down a corner three to put the Mountain Lions in front. Tucker County continued to build momentum late in the first quarter when Addi Moats buried a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Mountain Lions a 14–7 lead after one quarter.

Tucker County extended its advantage in the second quarter with strong defense and transition offense. A steal and score from Makenna Evans helped push the lead to nine points, while Peyton Cross added a putback basket to help the Mountain Lions take a 20–13 lead into halftime.

The Mountain Lions stretched their lead to its largest margin of the game in the third quarter. Moats, who finished with a team-high 12 points, helped Tucker County build a 31–18 advantage, putting Ritchie County in a difficult position heading into the final period.
But the Rebels responded with a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback.

Elsa Law sparked the rally with several clutch baskets, including a pair of three-pointers that helped Ritchie County cut the deficit to single digits. With momentum shifting, Abbigayl Cox capped a 10–0 Rebels run with a basket that tied the game at 31–31 with just minutes remaining.

Tucker County briefly regained the lead after a free throw and a basket from Cross, but Ritchie County answered again. Law drilled a clutch three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining to tie the game at 34–34, setting up the decisive sequence.

Moments later, the Rebels forced a turnover and converted on the other end as Cox finished the play to give Ritchie County its first lead of the night. Two late free throws sealed the comeback victory as the Rebels completed the rally and advanced to the Class A state semifinals.

With the win, Ritchie County moves on to face Little Kanawha Conference rival Gilmer County in the next round of the WVSSAC Girls State Basketball Tournament.

Final Score:
Ritchie County 38
Tucker County 34