CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Wheeling Central has advanced to the boys Class Single-A championship game for the fifth time in six years with a 61-43 win over Gilbert Friday at the Charleston Civic Center.

The Maroon Knights used a strong third quarter to take control. Wheeling Central led 23-21 at halftime but scored 18 of the first 22 points of the second half to jump ahead 41-25 late in the third quarter.

Gilbert got no closer than 12 points the rest of the game.

Shane Phillips led Wheeling Central with 22 points.

Quinn Miller and Justin Browning scored 14 apiece for Gilbert.

WHEELING CENTRAL 61, GILBERT 43 BOXSCORE

GILBERT (23-4)
Browning 5-8 2-2 14, Burgess 0-7 0-0 0, Miller 5-14 2-2 14,
Rawls 1-11 3-4 5, Altizer 4-8 0-0 8, Birchfield 0-5 0-0 0, Houck
0-0 0-0 0, Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Robinette 1-1 0-0 2, Ellis 0-0 0-0 0,
May 0-2 0-0 0, Carter 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-57 7-8 43.

WHEELING CENTRAL (19-6)
Long 3-4 0-0 7, Phillips 8-10 1-3 22, Peluchette 3-6 2-4 8,
Koehler 1-4 2-2 5, McKitrick 2-4 5-6 9, Hood 0-3 2-2 2, Sorge 1-1
2-2 4, Wilkinson 0-0 0-0 0, Neidhart 0-0 0-0 0, Joseph 1-3 1-2 3,
Weishar 0-1 1-2 1, Zambito 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-36 16-23 61.

Gilbert 11 8 10 14-43
Wheeling Central 13 10 20 18-61

3-point goals-Gilbert 4-12 (Browning 2-2, Miller 2-5, Birchfield
0-2, Burgess 0-3), Wheeling Central 7-12 (Phillips 5-5, Long 1-1,
Koehler 1-3, Peluchette 0-1, Hood 0-2). Fouled out-Rawls.
Rebounds-Gilbert 27 (Rawls, Altizer 7), Wheeling Central 36
(Peluchette 8). Assists-Gilbert 9 (Rawls 5), Wheeling Central 10
(Phillips 4). Total fouls-Gilbert 17, Wheeling Central 9. A-NA.