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Linsly Is Senior-Laden

By JOSH STROPE

WHEELING — Six returning senior letterwinners, Linsly coach James Wallace is looking forward to what lies ahead for his team.

Starters Greysen Archbold and Jacob Murray are the returning starters, while Dylan Harrison and Malachi Onwuka started half the year en route to a 10-13 record.

Wallace, entering his seventh year on the Linsly bench, expects more victories this season as one of the Cadets’ biggest bugaboos last season was an inability to hold onto leads in the fourth quarter.

“We have a strong group of seniors coming back that we are going to rely on pretty heavily, guys like Dylan Harrison, “Butter” Murray, Malachi Onwuka, Jesse Nhitemuka Nkussi, Greyson Archbold and Warren Saunders,” Wallace said. “We feel good about that nucleus. Lot of experience.

“Then we have a bunch of younger guys we are looking to add depth with.”

Harrison, a 6-foot-5 guard came off the bench as a junior, but is the leading scorer and rebounder returning for the Cadets.

Size won’t be a factor as the seniors are all above 6 feet, led by Nhitemuka Nkussi at 6-7, followed by Harrison, Archbold (6-5), Saunders (6-3), Murray (6-1) and Onwuka (6-0).

Onwuka is the team’s top defender according to Wallace and someone that will get pressure on opposing ballhandlers.

Saunders is someone Wallace is hoping can take the next step.

“I think he will be able to help us a little more this year,” Wallace said. “He is an athletic kid that has stepped up as a leader. He has had a great fall and has really matured as a basketball player. He has always had the skills, now he is understanding how to implement that into games. He has the chance to be a pretty special player.”

The Cadets have one junior guard in Tavion Minor (5-9).

The sophomores are forwards Chaz Ghaphery (6-4) and Jerry Zhang (6-1), and guards Dom Gorence (5-8), Jonathan Milton (6-0) and Mikal Warfield-Payne (6-0).

“We like to keep the ball moving and defensively, forcing teams to take bad shots and stay outside the paint,” Wallace said. “We are going to rely on our size and athleticism to control the clock. We are a much longer team and bigger team. Not necessarily a power team, but we do have good size. Guys who are good around the rim and aren’t afraid to take charges.

“Expectations here are always big. The kids come here expecting to play good competition, expecting to play in front of college scouts. Sixty percent of the seniors who have graduated from our basketball program have played in college. Our guys are here to compete. Every year the OVAC title is out there and we don’t shy away from it. Triple-A is going to be a challenge, but we are up for it.”

Wallace is assisted by Dave Koehler, Greg Martin, Mike Thomas, Chris Kiedaisch, and Kyle Pytlak.

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