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St. Clairsville Must Replace 4 Starters With Not Much Experience

Boys Basketball Preview 2022

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Ryan Clifford enters his fifth season at the helm of St. Clairsville’s boys basketball program with a lot of reasons to be excited. However, he also has several reasons for concern. That type of roller coaster of emotions happens when you lose four starters from 13-win team and return a roster that has just three players in the upper two grades. “For the first time since I’ve been the head coach, we’ll be replacing basically everyone, but I couldn’t be more excited about this team because, maybe for the first time, we don’t have a target on our backs, ...

Tyler Consolidated Trying To Build Off Of Football Momemtum

Boys Basketball Preview 2022

Tyler Consolidated boys’ coach Steven Nutter is hoping his team can build off of the success the football team had in reaching the Class A state playoffs this season. The Silver Knights will be led by a large group of seniors in Hayden Brown, Connor Bailey, Garon Broughman, Mason Nichols, Garson Gorby and Brody Seckman with juniors Zade Billings, Ethan Clark, Jayce Miller and Jake Lancaster. Sophomore candidates include Brady Strode, Colby Nicols, Layton Gorrell, Tripp Perrine and Jason Keller. There is also a huge freshman class in Bo Tallman, Reese Davis, Brody Giovinazzo, ...

Magnolia Eyeing Return To Class AA State Tournament

Boys Basketball Preview 2022

NEW MARTINSVILLE — Last year was a thrilling ride for the Magnolia boys’ basketball team. After reaching the state tournament in 2020 only to see it get canceled due to COVID, the Blue Eagles made a much-deserved return trip to Charleston last year. Although the Eagles fell to No. 1 ranked Poca, it was certainly a satisfying season for coach Dave Tallman and his crew. “We were thrilled to make it to the state tournament last year,” Tallman said. “We had to play No. 1 Poca and Isaac McNeely who is playing for Virginia University now. The task was tough but really gave our ...

Bellaire Ready To Take Next Step In The Right Direction In Ohio D-III

Boys Basketball Preview 2022

BELLAIRE — When J.R. Battista takes a step back and reflects on the 2021-22 basketball season, he called it a “step in the right direction.” As his Bellaire Big Reds prepare for the upcoming season, which won’t begin for them until Dec. 10, the reigning Division III Eastern District Coach of the Year expects additional steps in that direction this winter as a solid core of players return. “We were competitive in most games last year, but we still had trouble closing some of them out,” Battista said of his team, which finished 13-10 and bowed out in the sectional co-final ...

Brooke Must Replace A Pair Of Standouts In Shinky’s 2nd Season

Boys Basketball Preview 2022

WELLSBURG—The last time the Brooke boys’ basketball team finished better than .500 was the 2014 season. That is, until, last season. In Year 2 of Adam Shinsky taking over the program, the Bruins flourished, finishing 14-9 before falling to eventual state champion Morgantown in the sectional tournament. If the Bruins want to continue that upward trend, then they will need to do so replacing a host of talent lost to graduation, including two first-team OVAC performers in Alex Isinghood and Cole Sperlazza. The good news is the Bruins have a talented, and successful, incoming ...

Cameron Returns Three Players From Class A State Qualifier

Boys Basketball Preview 2022

CAMERON – While Cameron lost four prominent seniors from last year’s West Virginia Class A state qualifier, coach Tom Hart will have three veteran players, four seniors and a lot of youth to help keep the Dragons breathing fire in 2022. Gone from last year’s squad are two-time first-team All-stater, 6 ft. 8 in. Trevor Beresford, now playing at Wheeling University, Chris McCauley, Nathan Haeberle and Connor Powell. “After graduating four seniors from last year’s team we will be a pretty youthful group hitting the hardwood at Dragon Indoor Stadium this year,” Hart said. ...