Basketball Preview 2017

Koehler Looking to Set Higher Standard at Brooke

By CODY TOMER WELLSBURG — There is a new attitude on the court at Brooke this year that Coach Cameron Koehler is very excited about. The Bruins only collected four wins a season ago, but with his first year at the helm under his belt, Koehler and his squad are encouraged for the upcoming campaign. “We have a lot of expectations,” Koehler said. “As a program, we don’t have a lot of wins lately but I think we are set up for a solid year. “These kids have worked hard all summer and they have played summer ball against some higher level competition. They are all good ...

Bruins Eye Improvement

By CODY TOMER WELLSBURG — The focus for Coach Ryan Scherich and the Brooke girls’ basketball team is simply taking the next step. A season ago, the Bruins won 10 games, which is a stepping stone for the program and one that Scherich hopes to build off of in the upcoming campaign. “We won 10 games last year,” Scherich said. “That is the first time we have done that in my time here. We also lost some games that we probably shouldn’t have lost. “I would really like to get to 15 wins, secure a winning record, compete and take the next step.” The Bruins only lost a ...

Numbers an Issue for Irish

By SETH STASKEY BELLAIRE — Bubba Kapral has patrolled the sideline at St. John Central for the past 23 seasons. He’s won more than 300 games, a district title and eight Ohio Valley Athletic Conference championships. As he prepares his 24th campaign at his alma mater, Kapral and long-time assistant Dr. Jerry Liberatore have simply gone back to the basics. That’s the necessary plan when you have a roster of just eight players, including five of whom are newcomers to the program. “Numbers are an issue,” Kapral said. “We had 11 players last year. Six have ...

JM Looks to Get Over the Hump

By TRACY WATSON MOUNDSVILLE — In his first three season as the girls’ basketball coach at John Marshall, Brock Melko has taken his team to the brink of the West Virginia Class AAA state tournament, only to fall short in the regional finals. With four returning starters, including a senior sharpshooter who was lost to a knee injury midseason last year, Melko is hoping that this is the year the Monarchs find their way over the hump and earn a trip to Charleston. “We have been really close,” Melko said. “Last year we finished 14-11 and once again made it to the regional ...

Thompson Leads Experienced John Marshall Squad

By TRACY WATSON MOUNDSVILLE — While John Marshall boys’ basketball coach Chad Clutter was still finalizing his roster because of the Monarchs’ recent football playoff success, one thing was for sure, Clutter didn’t lose a senior from last year’s squad and there is plenty of experience this year. The Monarchs have three solid returning starters and a group of four more that rotated through the starting lineup last year. “Last year was a learning curve for both the players and me as a first-year coach at John Marshall,” Clutter said. “Year 1 was more about building a ...

Cupboard Not Bare at Big Red

By ED LOOMAN STEUBENVILLE — There will be plenty of new faces on the floor when Steubenville’s boys’ basketball team opens its season on Dec. 12 at home against Boardman. Seven regulars are gone from the 2016-2017 Steubenville squad which went 19-6, played for the OVAC Class 4A title and was knocked off in Division II sectional play by Buckeye Local. Missing via graduation are all-district performer Charles Reeves, now playing football at Pitt, Pookie Petteway, who had a stellar freshman campaign for Ohio Dominican’s football squad, Jack Marx, now playing at Franciscan ...