Photo by Kim North Wheeling Central senior-to-be Eli Sancomb maneuvers over the Slot Machines during Sunday’s Tough As Nails Urban Challenge as part of the Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend in downtown Wheeling. Sancomb is the reigning W.Va. Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

WHEELING – Wheeling Central senior-to-be Eli Sancomb loves to compete. After enjoying

an outstanding 2024-25 boys basketball season in which he was named the W.Va. Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year and the Evans Award winner as the West Virginia Sports Writers Association’s player of the year, Sancomb recently finished his summer AAU tour.

So, what does the 6-foot-5 Sancomb do during Memorial Day weekend? Of course, compete.

The Maroon Knights’ do-everything on the basketball court ran the 6-mile Tough As Nails Urban Challenge presented by The Health Plan through the streets of the Friendly City, and said he would do it again next year.

“Just to stay in shape and have some fun doing it,” he explained prior to taking off for his journey as the reason for competing. “I run miles and stuff like that, but I think it will be fun. I run a lot during my basketball workouts.”

Afterwards, his thoughts hadn’t differed.

“It feels good. I thought it was going to be just like it was,” Samcomb said. “It was fun.”

The hardest part?

“Definitely the steps. They were the worst.”

The easiest?

“Just running and having fun doing it.”

The most fun part?

“The end. Definitely being able to finish the run. I’ll definitely do it again next year.”

Sancomb, who is drawing a lot of interest from NCAA Division I schools, averaged 25.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.6 steals per game, and led the Class AA state tournament in each of those categories, plus blocked shots, while on his way to winning the Class AA tournament and being selected as the tournament MVP.