By LLOYD COMBS
for the Daily Telegraph
PILGRIM'S KNOB, Va. — Twin Valley started the season 3-6, but turned that around the second half of the season and Lexy Vance is one of the reasons why.
The all-around standout is the Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week after a banner week in which she accumulated 59 points, 26 rebounds, 16 assists and eight steals as the Lady Panthers won two of three games in Crooked Road Conference play.
Her efforts included a 33-point outburst in a win over Hurley.
"Lexy started stepping her game up. She's come a long way since 3-and-6," said Twin Valley coach Tommy Crigger. "The big thing is, she's become a leader for us."
Vance said Crigger should get much of the credit for keeping things positive despite the club's disappointing start. Twin Valley reached the state finals last season.
"Things have just started clicking here the last little bit," she said. "Coach Crigger just keeps encouraging us, like he always does. He makes us believe in ourselves and things just started clicking."
Roles became more defined as the season has gone along for the Lady Panthers, who had to replace all-state caliber players like Kara Goodman and Katelyn Jackson and forward Megan Meadows, who played a key role off the bench last year.
"We knew losing Katelyn and Kara, we knew it was gonna be bad, but not as bad as it was at the start," Vance added. "But our younger people have started stepping, like Makynzee (Cantrell) and Autumn Matney comes off the bench and helps us.
"Our seniors, Hannah O (O'Quinn) has really stepped it up, Lakin (Keene) does a great job."
Vance is willing to fill whatever role her team needs and the 5-foot-8 junior has played well inside, outside and in the open floor.
"I just try and help any way I possibly can," she said. "I just do whatever Crigger needs me to do.
"If he needs to move to a forward or he needs me to handle the ball, I just do whatever he needs me to do to help us win."

Player of Week Honorable Mention

Girls - Week 11
Graham: Dejah Carter, 21 points, 16 rebounds in win over Virginia High; Lexi Kiser, 19 points, 4 3s.
Grundy: Autumn Sperry, 22 points in win over Honaker; Lexi Boyd, 13 points, 11 rebounds; Emily Lane, 8 points, 10- rebounds, 4 steals.
Honaker: Megan Ray, 46 points, 20 rebounds points in win over Hurley, loss to Grundy; Madison Musick, 28 points; Madison Miller, 28 points; Tara Deel, 16 vs. Hurley; Kaytlyn Shelton, 6 points, 6 steals, 6 assists vs. Grundy.
Hurley: Alison Bandy, 31 points in losses to Honaker and Twin Valley; Breanna Stacy, 14 points vs. Honaker; Whitney Whitt, 14 points vs. Twin Valley.
James Monroe: Gracie Mann, 15 points in win over Mount View; Morgan Wylie, 10 points; Kelli Ellison, 10 points.
Mercer Christian: Allison Mills, 12 points in win over New Life Christian; Ireland Garrett, 12 points; Payton Pugh, 10 points.
Mount View: Kaitlyn Gillespie, 14 points in loss at James Monroe; Kenisha Swanson, 10 points; Destiny Robertson, 9 points.
Narrows: Maggie Guynn, 33 points in win over Eastern Montgomery.
PikeView: Madison May, 33 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks in loss at Nicholas County; Ashley Scott, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks.
Richlands: Ericah Burton, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists in win over Abingdon; Olivia Harmon, 15 points, 14 rebounds; Lani Rinehardt, 9 points, 14 rebounds; Nadia Ashiq, 6 assists.
River View: Paige Cooper, 15 points, 3 assists in loss to Notre Dame; Katie Dobbs, 11 points, 5 rebounds; Kiersten Roberts, 8 points, 4 assists.
Summers County: Whittney Justice, 24 points, 5 assists, 2 steals in win over Wyoming East; Brittney Justice, 19 points; Morgan Miller, 14 points.
Twin Valley: Kim Lester, 23 points in win over Hurley.

2015-16 Girls Winners
Week 1: Maggie Guynn, Narrows
Week 2: Madison May, PikeView
Week 3: Jia Coppola, Bluefield
Week 4: Katie Dobbs, River View
Week 5: Brittney Justice, Summers County
Week 6: Lexi Kiser, Graham
Week 7: Kaleigh Barker, Princeton
Week 8: Heather Nicewander, Montcalm
Week 9: Olivia Harmon, Richlands
Week 10: Dejah Carter, Graham
Week 11: Lexy Vance, Twin Valley
Editor’s Note: This is the final award of the season for girls basketball.