The West Virginia Dream team. Pictured in the front row, from left, Kyra Cline, Adriana Hererra, Hannah Adkins and Chrissy Farmer. In the back row, from left, Coach Mike Tothe, Hannah Tothe, Katie Kirk, Monica Mitchell, Kelsey Kirk, Kristin DesRocher and Coach Randy Cline.

slideshow

The Logan-based West Virginia Dream AAU girls’ basketball team made a strong showing this week in the United States Basketball Assiciation National Championships this week at North Myrtle Beach, S.C., as the team finished 3-2 and advanced to the Elite Eight round.

The Dream, made of of players from Logan High School, Chapmanville Regional and Mingo Central, split its two games on Friday to get ousted from the national tournament.

The Dream won 62-41 over the Hartsville Running Red of Georgia on Friday, then were eliminated after a 39-29 loss to the Cincinnati Legends later in the day.

The team finished its season with a 33-9 record.

Hannah Tothe led the Dream with 16 points in Friday’s win over the Georgia team. Kyra Cline had 12, while Chrissy Farmer and Monica Mitchell tossed in 10 points each. Kristen DesRocher had eight and Kelsey Kirk finished with six points.

The win over Hartsville put the Dream in the Elite Eight and three wins away from the AAU national championship. The local squad, however, lost to the Cincinnati Legends — a team it had beaten earlier in the tournament.

“In the Elite Eight game against the Cincy Legends we lost 39-29 in the worst shooting performance we had all year,” Dream coach Mike Tothe said.

Mitchell and DesRocher led the team with 11 points each and Tothe added seven.

“The Legends played a straight 2-3 zone to pack it in because we had an advantage in the post but our shooters just couldn’t hit anything from the perimeter,” Coach Tothe said. “It was one heck of a ride we had this year and we had a lot of fun. The girls played well and finished the season 33-9, winning four tourney titles. Each of our kids played an important role and it was hard on me knowing it was the last AAU game for Hannah Tothe, Katie and Kelsey Kirk and Chrissy Farmer of Mingo Central.”

Coach Tothe continued his praise for his team.

“The Logan girls have been with me since they were 9 years old and they have been a blessing and a foundation to help establish and build upon our high school program,” he said. “I would also like to thank all the people, businesses, parents, Logan High head coach Kevin Gertz, Chapmanville coach David Williamson and Mingo Central coach Donald Taylor for their help and support into our season. On a side note the Cincy team was the same team we played on Thursday afternoon and we led that game 43-24 at the half. I guess we had no legs to connect on our shots but I told the girls we made a great run.”

* The Dream went 1-1 on Thursday and were seeded fifth out of 23 teams. The Dream started Thursday off with a 65-60 overtime loss to the Anderson (S.C.) Heat. The Dream rebounded with a 64-59 win over the Cincinnati Legends.

In the game against Anderson, Kristin DesRocher led the team with 21 points. She was followed by Monica Mitchell with 12 and Kyra Cline and Hannah Tothe with nine each and Chrissy Farmer with seven points.

In the game with the Cincinnati Legends Tothe led the team with 20 points. DesRocher had 16 and Cline nine, while Farmer and Mitchell had seven each.

In the loss, the game came down to free throws, Dream coach Mike Tothe said.

“We missed 14 free throws and we normally shoot them well. I want to praise the play of my point guard Chrissy Farmer who had double digits in assists in all three games we have played,” he said. “Chrissy does an outstanding job and she will make someone a very good point guard in college.”

Nine players make up the team roster, including: Kyra Cline, Adriana Hererra, Hannah Adkins, Chrissy Farmer, Hannah Tothe, Katie Kirk, Monica Mitchell, Kelsey Kirk and Kristin DesRocher.