Basketball Preview 2017

Knights Have Eye on the Prize

By KYLE LUTZ WHEELING — After failing to make it to Charleston during the 2015-16 season, the Wheeling Central girls’ basketball team got back to its roots, putting together a one-loss regular season during the process. Wheeling Central made it to Charleston before getting defeated by Williamstown in the semifinals to end its season at 25-2. What’s more impressive, the Maroon Knights sported one senior. “We were very young and saw some freshmen grow up quickly,” Wheeling Central coach Penn Kurtz said. “25-2 is an outstanding record. Unfortunately it was a pretty ...

Bellaire Looks to Build on Last Season’s 21-3 Mark

By RICK THORP BELLAIRE — A year ago, the Bellaire’s girls’ basketball team burst on the scene with a brand of fast-paced, high-pressure, get-in-your-face hoops that left most of its opponents befuddled. Coach John Farrier’s Big Reds rolled through the regular season, finishing 20-2 and earning a home sectional contest against Coshocton. Bellaire cruised in that contest, setting up a home date vs. highly touted Ridgewood and West Liberty-bound senior Audrey Tingle for the crown. The Generals humbled the Big Reds on that Saturday night. And while Bellaire finished with a ...

Lot of New Faces for Upton, Linsly Girls

By JOSH STROPE There is always turnover in high school sports. Then there is Linsly. The Cadets welcome back two players from last year’s team so you would have to forgive Linsly girls’ basketball coach Rebecca Upton if she it would have taken a little longer to learn some names. Before you start thinking this will nothing more than a rebuilding year, you might want to think twice. There might be some new faces, but there is still plenty of talent and potential. “We know we don’t have to be playing our best basketball right now, we know we are going to take some lumps and ...

Cadets Replace Entire Starting Lineup

By JOSH STROPE WHEELING — When you lose six seniors — all starters — there can be a lot of fret when it comes to your season. Linsly coach James Wallace will have none of that. At Linsly, the expectations never change, regardless of who puts on that uniform. “We have had some great people graduate in the past. That seems to be the trend that after four years, they don’t come back,” Wallace said jokingly. “We just have to figure out who we are in terms of personality and skill and coach to their strengths. “With a young team, confidence will be really important. ...

Pilant Takes Over Blue Eagles

By TRACY WATSON NEW MARTINSVILLE — With veteran Coach Tom Tisher stepping down, the Magnolia girls’ basketball program has a new leader, a former All-West Virginia player as an assistant and a large group of underclassmen ready to step up and replace a trio of high-scoring graduates. Meredith Pilant has taken over the reins of the Blue Eagles and will be joined on the bench by a familiar name to Magnolia fans, Mark Winters. With the new coaching staff comes a turnover on the court as well as 1,000-point scorer Kelsey Chapman, high-scoring Taylor Ludewig and three-point ...

Magnolia Ready to Move On

By TRACY WATSON NEW MARTINSVILLE — There is plenty to forget about last season for Magnolia’s boys’ basketball program, including a late-game loss in a West Virginia Class A regional that cost the Blue Eagles another trip to Charleston. But veteran coach Dave Tallman is ready to put that season the rear-view mirror and get on with the business at hand, 2017-18. “We are not used to losing,” Tallman said. “The kids gave everything they had and we were able to upset St. Marys and win another sectional title.” In erasing last year, Big Blue has only one returning ...