CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Keyser opens its Class AAA state tournament run against Wayne on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.
The Golden Tornado (19-4) are the No. 7 seed in the state quarterfinals. Wayne (19-4) is the two seed.
The contest is a rematch of Keyser’s state playoff at the same stage last year when the Tornado were routed by Wayne, 75-38, behind a tournament record eight 3-pointers from Addie Adkins.
Adkins, as well as sister Brooke Adkins and Jaycelyn Sammons, is back for Wayne. Brooke Adkins (14.3 points per game) is a Division 1 Youngstown State signee. Sammons is the team’s leading scorer at 16.8 ppg.
Keyser also returned the bulk of its production. Sophomore Bibs Felton tops the Tornado at 18.7 points per game, and Autumn Kerchner also averages double figures at 10.6 ppg.
Keyser and Wayne have one common opponent in Southern, which beat both squads.
The Rams defeated Wayne, 53-51, and bested Keyser, 59-44, in a contest that Felton left in the first half with an injury. Both Southern victories came on the road.
Felton missed Keyser’s next four games following the leg injury but returned Friday in the Tornado’s 67-39 rout of Lincoln in the co-region finals. Felton scored 23 points in the win.
The winner advances to the state semifinals to play the victor of No. 3 Greenbrier East (23-1) and No. 6 Sissonville (19-5), which will be played Wednesday at 11:15 a.m.
The semifinal would be Friday at 9:30 a.m. and the championship on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Keyser is making its fourth state tournament appearance in school history and its first back-to-back trip.
The Golden Tornado last made the state semifinals in 2014 when they upset North Marion, 63-57, in round one before falling to WestSide, 56-44, in the semis.