Players to watch in north-central WV this season

By Dave Morrison Here are some of the top players to watch in north-central West Virginia heading into the 2021 season. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/B96CB55E-CFE3-4634-8831-DB91EC87981B.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1041165 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/B96CB55E-CFE3-4634-8831-DB91EC87981B-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="977511" first="Jaelin" last="Johnson"], Fairmont Senior, 6-5, Sr. There is little downside with this senior. He was a major contributor to the state runner-up team in 2019, a team that featured state player of the year Jalen Bridges, Zyan Dobbs and Dasalis Jones. Last season Johnson was the lone returning starter (Fairmont went 12-12) but he helped the Polar Bears advance to the Class AA Region 1 co-final when the season was abruptly halted by the coronavirus pandemic. A prolific scorer from his shooting guard position, Johnson averaged 19.5 points per game, shooting 55.8 percent from the field (177-317), He also averaged 6.9 rebounds with 46 assists and 41 steals. Perhaps his greatest ability was availability. Johnson averaged playing over 30 minutes a game and only missed 41 minutes of action all season. Johnson, who plays AAU basketball with Easy Street Family, has received several offers including homestanding Fairmont University, Concord and Wheeling and West Virginia Wesleyan of the Mountain East Conference. [player_tooltip player_id="977515" first="Bryson" last="Lucas"], Robert C. Byrd, 6-5, Sr. Lucas was literally a nightly feature on local news, with several highlight-real dunks for the Eagles, which finished the season with 22 straight wins and one game shy of a state tournament berth. In fact, coach Bill Bennett said Lucas would be the school’s leader in dunks of those stats were kept. But he does more than that and Bennett said the proof is in the fact that Lucas does not have a real position. “He has been difficult for opponents to match up with because he can score inside, he can shoot the 3 and he has a strong mid-range game,” Bennett said. “There are times he will bring the ball up the floor for us because he is being guarded by the other teams big.” Lucas, a first-team all-state selection, averaged 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and three assists per game. With the wing-span of a much taller player, Lucas is an outstanding defender, who blocks shots (36), makes steals (68, 2.8 per game) and deflections (43). Lucas had 10 double-doubles for the season and was named the Big X conference player of the year by the conference’s 13 coaches. [player_tooltip player_id="977578" first="Jaidyn" last="West"], Notre Dame, 5-11, Jr. The son of former WU standout and Notre Dame coach Jarrod West, Jaidyn continued his accession in year two as he ended the season as a first-team all-state selection. The smooth-shooting guard averaged 21.3 points per game but his game was much more than shooting. Like his brother Jarrod, now at Marshall, he was a force in all facets of the game, averaging six rebounds and six assists per game as well as three steals. West,one of the state’s top point guards in the Class of 2022 has had a long-standing offer from Youngstown State but the recruiting wars are just heating up for this all-around player. West plays his AAU basketball with the Wildcats Select. [player_tooltip player_id="977545" first="Gavin" last="Kennedy"], RCB, 6-0, Sr. Bennett said Kennedy “has started since he walked into our building.” And he has produced helping the Eagles to the state tournament in 2019 and 22 straight wins last season before the season was shut down before the region final. Kennedy was second on the team in scoring (averaging 13.1 points) and assists (2.6) and also led the team in 3s with 29. Kennedy will head into the season needing 99 points to reach 1,000 for his career. “He has the ability to make jump shots but also has the ability to make the very difficult shots as well. He is very good in transition.” <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/C5605C61-69B3-47B2-9FF5-CBADE758A27F.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1041168 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/C5605C61-69B3-47B2-9FF5-CBADE758A27F-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="977518" first="Carson" last="Poffenberger"], Morgantown, 6-8, Sr. After stepping into the starting center role last season, Poffenberger did not disappoint, averaging a team-best 12.9 points per game and 5.5 rebounds. He helped lead the Mohigans to the region final where they fell to Wheeling Park. He finished the season being named to the Class AAA all-state second-team unit. By taking his game to the next level, the big man has also caught the eye of college recruiters, receiving interest or offers from the likes of Alderson-Broaddus, Shepherd and Marietta College. [player_tooltip player_id="977525" first="Xavier" last="Pryor"], Morgantown, 6-1, Sr. After transferring in last season from Northern Garrett (Maryland), Pryor had good numbers. He averaged seven points, four assists and four rebounds for the Mohigans from his point guard position. With a year to get acclimated to Dave Tallman’s program and the rigors of what he noted was a more physical style, Pryor will be counted on to do even more as the Mohigans look to be a contender in the newly-formed Class AAAA division in West Virginia. A skilled passer, Pryor also has good size and speed to match up at his position and that will be an asset this season. [player_tooltip player_id="1051407" first="Praise" last="Chukwudozie"], North Marion, 6-7, Sr. In his third year of American basketball the Huskies big man continued to grow his game and is starting to show up on college recruiting boards. Chukwudozie was a first-team Big X performer and was also an Class AA honorable mention all-state selection. [player_tooltip player_id="977524" first="Jack" last="Bifano"], Bridgeport, 6-6, Sr. Bifano is a next-level performer, a member of the Big X all-conference team and a Class AA honorable mention all-stater. Bifano plays for the West Virginia Reign AAU team and is coming off a successful summer season with the program.