RIPLEY, W.Va. — The Point Pleasant boys basketball team secured a spot in its fourth straight sectional championship game Tuesday night following a convincing 71-50 victory over Roane County in a Class AA Region I, Section 2 semifinal at Ripley High School in Jackson County.

The Big Blacks (14-9) never trailed in the contest, as the hosts stormed out to a 26-5 advantage after eight minutes of play. PPHS kept that momentum going into the second frame, using a small 5-4 spurt to take its biggest lead of the first half at 31-9 with just over five minutes left until the intermission.

The Raiders (12-12), however, countered with a 6-4 run to close out the first half with a 35-15 halftime deficit.

Point took its biggest lead of the night at 47-21 early in the third canto, but Roane County closed the quarter on a 7-5 run to pull within 52-28 headed into the finale. RCHS won the final period by a 22-19 margin, but never came within five possessions the rest of the way.

The Big Blacks, with the win, will be playing a very familiar foe in the Region I, Section 2 championship at 7 p.m. on Friday at Ripley High School. Ravenswood, following a 91-64 triumph over Ritchie County in the other semifinal, will face Point Pleasant for the sectional title for a fourth consecutive postseason.

The Red Devils are 2-1 in those previous sectional finals, although PPHS did win last year’s contest by a 52-47 margin. Point has also won three straight and four of the last five decisions against Ravenswood, including a sweep this year by counts of 65-47 and 64-51. RHS won the 2009 sectional by a 47-43 margin and also claimed the 2010 crown with a 56-42 decision.

Point Pleasant hit seven three-pointers against Roane County and also had nine different players reach the scoring column, which included a trio in double figures. Dillon McCarty led the Big Blacks with a game-high 20 points, followed by Jacob Wamsley with 13 points and Wade Martin with 12 markers.

Adam Slack and Caleb Riffle added respective totals of four and three points, while Andrew Williamson, Aden Yates and Alex Somerville all rounded out the scoring with two markers each. The hosts were also 14-of-17 at the free throw line for 82 percent.

Willie Bowman paced RCHS with 11 points, followed by Jacob Neal with 10 points. Hunter Bradley and Scotti Meadows both chipped in eight markers apiece in the losing cause. Roane County was 10-of-17 at the charity stripe for 59 percent.

Point Pleasant, which has now won three straight decisions, will be gunning for its fourth sectional title — as well as it first ever repeat. Point’s other sectional crowns came in 1975, 1996 and last winter.

Point Pleasant 71, Roane County 50

RC 5-10-13-22 — 50

PP 26-9-17-19 — 71

ROANE COUNTY (12-12): Jacob Neal 4 1-4 10, Austin Nichols 0 0-0 0, Daniel Humphreys 1 2-2 5, Joey Reed 2 0-0 4, Willie Bowman 4 3-3 11, Hunter Bradley 3 0-2 8, Scotti Meadows 2 4-6 8, Michael Bates 2 0-0 4, Quentin Corbitt 0 0-0 0, Brad Reichard 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 18 10-17 50. Three-point goals: 4 (Bradley 2, Neal, Humphreys). Team Fouls: 14.

POINT PLEASANT (14-9): Dillon McCarty 5 9-10 20, Caleb Riffle 1 1-1 3, Jacob Wamsley 6 0-1 13, Garrett Norris 0 0-0 0, Marquez Griffin 0 0-0 0, Evan Potter 0 0-0 0, Andrew Williamson 1 0-0 2, Anthony Perry 5 0-0 13, Adam Slack 2 0-0 4, Aden Yates 0 2-3 2, Wade Martin 4 2-2 12, Alex Somerville 1 0-0 2, Nate Chapman 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 25 14-17 71. Three-point goals: 7 (Perry 3, Martin 2, McCarty, Wamsley). Team Fouls: 22.