Western Highlands Conference Preview
Here is the PrepHoopsNC Western Highlands Conference (1-A & 2-A) Preseason Preview
Mountain Heritage High School-The Cougars are excited about the 2017-2018 Basketball Season. They return 8 players from last season including all five starters. Included in those nine players are 3 year all-WHC selection Trey Robinson (senior 7 ppg), 2 Year all-WHC conference selection Hayden Branton (Senior 9 ppg) as well as Callin Randolph (Soph 17 ppg) and Lucas Jenkins (Soph 12 ppg) who were both selected to the WHC all conf.
Callin Randolphteam as freshmen last season. Other Key returners are 6’9 (Soph 10 ppg 9 rpg) Justus Shelton , Dawson Branton (Senior 6 ppg), Brandon Aumiller (Junior 8 ppg) and Tommy Johnson (Junior 4 ppg). We will also add Isaiah Tipton (Junior), Cole Shehan (Soph), and Levi Higgins (Junior). They also have a couple freshmen we will have to make a decision on as we get closer to the season. We feel we have a bunch of kids who can contribute and play significant minutes this season. With all this depth, we want to play “Hard, Fast, and Physical.” Our kids will have to buy into sacrificing for each other in order to play so many kids, said Head Coach Hank Newson.
Avery County High School– The Avery Vikings finished 12-0 in conference last season and will return junior Deacon Heath (led conference in scoring at 21.2 points per game last season) and sophomores Evan Krug, Chase Kirkpatrick, and Caleb Pritchard as returning members of last year’s team. The Vikings will need strong leadership from the seniors and an uptick in production from some underclassmen to keep Avery in the conversation in the Western Highlands Conference. Heath is a legitimate Division One prospect and has offers from Lees-McRae and interest from some other Division II schools at this point. Scott Grubb previously was the head coach at Ashe County High School. Avery will again lean heavily on solid man to man defense and well-spaced player movement to continue its current trend of success. Though young, Grubb feels the Vikings are talented and will get better as the season progresses. He feels there will be an adjustment period early on but is confident that the returners can help bring this team along as they enter conference play.
Owen High School- The Warhorses lose the majority of their roster from last season and it will be a rebuilding year. Nearly 60 points from last season have graduated or transferred.
Polk County High School- The Wolverines do return 2018 W/PG Dillon Overholt who averaged right at 12 points and 3 rebounds per outing last season.
Mitchell High School–The Mountaineers will return senior Jesse Pitman who averaged 10.2 points per game last season. Also returning is Trystan Jenkins who averaged 12 points and nearly 6 rebounds per game.
Tyrese Cauley 6’4″ Sr.
Key Newcomers
Blake Hamrick 5’9″ Sr.
Grant Moss 5’9 Sr.
Tyrese Hunt 6’0″ Jr.
Justin Starnes 6’3″Jr.