Mid-Season News & Notes
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Several items to get everyone caught up with for those of you that aren’t glued to Twitter. We’ve had several players hit 1000 career points during the first half of the season including: Anthony Mascio Anthony Mascio 6'0" | SG…
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Continue ReadingSeveral items to get everyone caught up with for those of you that aren’t glued to Twitter. We’ve had several players hit 1000 career points during the first half of the season including: Anthony Mascio Anthony Mascio 6'0" | SG Weirton Madonna | 2024 State WV , MJ Patton MJ Patton 5'11" | PG Mercer Christian Academy | 2025 State WV , Gavin Derby Gavin Derby 5'10" | PG Valley Wetzel | 2025 State WV , Ammar Maxwell Ammar Maxwell 6'3" | SG Shady Spring | 2024 State WV , Preston Luzader Preston Luzader 6'7" | C Clay Battelle | 2025 State WV and most recently Parker Schramm Parker Schramm 6'1" | SG Williamstown | 2025 State WV , Ronny Griest Ronny Griest 6'1" | CG Moorefield | 2024 State WV , Rayden Triplett Rayden Triplett 6'3" | SF Webster County | 2024 State WV and Riley Clevenger Riley Clevenger 6'0" | CG Webster | 2024 State WV . These players have all had great careers thus far with three of them being only juniors.
Congratulations to Morgantown High School coach Dave Tallman Jr for eclipsing 200 wins in just 9 and half seasons. Tallman has built a dynasty as quickly as one could be built in WV hoops.
Also congrats to Coach Benitez Jackson of Oak Hill High School for getting his 100th win! Coach Jackson has done a remarkable coaching job there and will continue for coming years.
Aiden Davis Aiden Davis 5'11" | CG Steubenville | 2025 OH of Wheeling Park has eclipsed former Wheeling Park legend Bubby Goodwin’s career mark for made 3’s at 203. Davis is just a junior so once he’s done that new record will be set extremely high as he’ll have a season and a half to add to it. Goodwin was also a standout player at nationally ranked West Liberty during his time there. (at press time Davis had hit 8 threes in a game vs Parkersburg South 2/13)
The Par Mar Shootout was held last week at WV State campus. Well run event as always with great TV/streaming coverage. The event directors should be commended for adding an additional day to make it a four day event and are in serious consideration of adding a fifth. Director indicated they already had 11 teams re-up for next season’s event before this years event week was over. Our goal in conjunction with BlueChips Nation will be to turn this into a primo recruiting tool and gain exposure for our players. We’ll have a Par Mar Shootout report out in the next few days.
Speaking of BlueChips Nation, they in conjunction with Prep Select group are hosting a very unique, Middle School Showcase on February 25th at the Bridge Sports Complex in Bridgeport WV. This we believe is the first of its kind AND, we will be there! Prep Hoops WV will be there to help evaluate all players most notably all 8th graders and we’ll be adding them into the national database for future ranking consideration. We will be providing this service free to event directors and athletes.
Cole Lambert Cole Lambert 6'0" | SG Wyoming East | 2024 State WV recently received an offer to St Vincent’s College to continue his basketball career. Lambert is on an absolute roll this season lighting up nearly every gym he steps into. We’d expect many of the higher level D3’s try to scoop up Lambert before his recruiting space gets crowded.
Mason Cyran Mason Cyran 6'1" | CG Parkersburg | 2024 State WV has received offers for a couple post grad opportunities, one at Central Pointe Post Grad Academy in Orlando Florida, the other is home state Huntington Expressions Prep in Huntington WV.
Maki Cary Maki Cary 5'10" | PG Teays Valley Christian | 2025 State WV recently received an offer from Potomac St, the state’s only JUCO program. Potomac St coaches are always aggressive with in-state talent and Cary is an easy player to love when you see him play. Potomac St will likely have some in-state 2024 offers to roll out soon as well.
Linsly School will be competing in the Big Shots Prep Nationals on February 23-25 in Rock Hill S.C.. If you haven’t read the early season report on Linsly basketball, go back and read it to get a better understanding of what they are all about. Boasting several college recruits of all levels and from several different countries, Linsly is led by Wheeling native and former Division I coach Dave Wojcik.
Recruiting is in full swing and heating up quickly. BlueChips Nation is reporting for WV that they have heard from coaches in Division I, D2, D3 and NAIA just in the month of January. Lists are being generated to help fulfill coaches recruiting needs and coaches will put on the full court recruiting press in the coming weeks with the WVSSAC Boys State Tournament being the highlight event of the spring.
Coaches, players, parents, we are starting to build our initial 2027 ranking list that will be released at the end of the summer. If there’s players you feel we should review, evaluate or consider, DM me @scottwstrode on Twitter and let me know who to watch.
With a recent 54 point performance, Gavin Parker Watts Gavin Parker Watts 6'3" | SG Tolsia | 2025 State WV pulls slightly ahead of Maki Cary Maki Cary 5'10" | PG Teays Valley Christian | 2025 State WV as WV’s scoring leader in the MaxPreps statistical system. Third on that list………………………. Colin Cross Colin Cross 6'0" | CG Weir | 2024 State WV of Weir High School. Cross has regularly led his team in scoring and posted several games scoring in the thirties. Coincidentally, Watts and Cary both have an offer from KCU, but both will also have (Cary already has) in state offers.
BlueChips Nation has confirmed there is Division I interest in Spring Mills forward Caleb Thomas Caleb Thomas 6'6" | PF Spring Mills | 2025 State WV . It was to be expected, but a little later than some expected. Thomas has absolutely torched every gym he’s been in since November. He’ll have a serious case for player of the year in West Virginia.
BlueChips Nation is also confirming recruiting buzz picking up steam around aforementioned Tolsia’s Gavin Parker Watts Gavin Parker Watts 6'3" | SG Tolsia | 2025 State WV . Watts yet again thrilled a gym full of fans blistering nets for 54 points last week. Watts has an early offer from NAIA program Kentucky Christian University, but it sounds as though some in state D2’s will be involved very soon.
One of this season’s biggest success stories is the Midland Trail High School boys basketball program. Sitting on a 15-2 record, MT avenged an early season loss to Nicholas last week 43-40, senior Eli Campbell Eli Campbell 6'0" | CG Midland Trail | 2024 State WV has been nothing short of dazzling for MT. Speaking of dazzling, how about the Trail’s Payton Bailes Payton Bailes 5'10" | PG Midland Trail | 2026 State WV who dropped 9 from behind the arc which ties the school record held by current teammate, yes you guessed it, Eli Campbell Eli Campbell 6'0" | CG Midland Trail | 2024 State WV .
Recent Recruiting Stock Risers: Xavier Kirk Xavier Kirk 6'2" | CG Hedgesville | 2025 State WV , Cruz Isaly Cruz Isaly 6'0" | PG Williamstown | 2025 State WV , Roman Kellum Roman Kellum 6'5" | PF South Charleston | 2025 State WV , Hayden Pyles Hayden Pyles 6'4" | CG Magnolia | 2024 State WV , Ethan Blackburn Ethan Blackburn 6'3" | SG Cabell-Midland | 2025 State WV
Mid-Season Favorites for March: AAAA Spring Mills, AAA Fairmont Sr., AA Bluefield, A Tucker