No. 1 George Washington and No. 3 Spring Mills Battle for AAAA Championship: Here's What You Need to Know
This is it. The final game of the 2026 WVSSAC boys basketball state tournament just went down in Charleston, West Virginia, and it was a rematch nobody wanted to miss. No. 1 George Washington (22-2) and No. 3 Spring Mills (21-2) squared off for the AAAA title on Saturday night, with the Patriots looking to get revenge after dropping last year's final to the Cardinals, 41-38.
How They Got Here
Both teams had to grind through some serious competition to reach the championship. The Patriots knocked off No. 8 Huntington and No. 4 Washington en route to the finals. Spring Mills took down No. 6 University and No. 2 Morgantown to punch their ticket. That's tournament basketball right there, and both squads earned their spot on the biggest stage.
First Half Action That Had Everyone on Edge
Spring Mills came out hot, jumping to a 13-0 scoring run in the opening quarter. Xavier Anderson and K'nes Stovall both hit 3-pointers to help the Cardinals blast ahead 17-5. George Washington looked stuck, but Noah Lewis got them moving with back-to-back buckets to spark a comeback. Dominic Sprouse was clutch, draining a 3-pointer from the top of the key and following it up with another shot to give GW the lead. The Patriots went on a 16-2 run in the second quarter alone. By halftime, George Washington had clawed back to lead 26-22. Akwasi Opoku-Achampong kept Spring Mills close with a 3-pointer late in the half, but the Patriots had all the momentum heading into the locker room.
The Third Quarter Grind
The second half stayed tight. Noah Lewis hit a floater early in the third to put GW ahead by three. Both teams were shooting over 40% from the field, so this was pure basketball. The Patriots stayed in front by one as the quarter pushed forward, with both squads playing the kind of defense and execution you see in state championship games.
Spring Mills wasn't done yet, though. The Cardinals refused to go quietly. This rematch had all the makings of a classic.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.