CHARLESTON – Two local teams will both be at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center on Thursday for the WVSSAC boys basketball state tournament, though either team are in different classes, and different stages of their respective brackets.

The Wheeling Central Maroon Knights, seeded No. 2 in the Class AA tournament, will have a go at No. 3 WestSide at 11:15 a.m. in a state semifinals matchup, while the Magnolia Blue Eagles, seeded No. 7 in the Class A tournament, will finally step onto the tournament floor for their opening game of the tourney, a quarterfinals contest against No. 2 Tucker County. That game is set for 1 p.m., immediately after Wheeling Central’s outing.

Wheeling Central advanced to the semifinals following a quarterfinal game against Ritchie County in which the Knights were never threatened, leading wire-to-wire and growing a more-than-healthy lead to an 80-27 victory.

Wheeling Central put its dangerous offense on display in that game, helmed by junior star Eli Sancomb (22 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, four steal) and sharpshooting senior Tyler Dean (21 points, 5-5 from 3).

Their opponent, The WestSide Renegades, won their own quarterfinal in convincing fashion, 83-53 against Doddridge County. They are a very balanced offense with four players averaging double-digit points, and have been on a tear since starting the year 1-3, winning 15 of their last 17.

Magnolia made it to the dance after defeating Valley in their regional co-final, 78-56. Just as they have through much of the season, the Blue Eagles were led in scoring by Kingston Christen with 21 points, with Hunter Oates (14), Dubale Greathouse (13) and Eli Midcap (12) following.

The Blue Eagles enter the tournament at 16-8, riding a 10-game winning streak. Christen is averaging 21.5 points per game for his team, while Greathouse, an interior presence, and Oates, a dangerous outside shooter, also average in double figures.

Their opponents, the Tucker County Mountain Lions, have dominated the opposition this season, and handed No. 1 Tug Valley their only in-state loss of the season.

They are led by Trevan Bonner, who averages a tick over 20 points per game, and Garrett Wilfong, who averages a near double-double with 13.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.