AAAA Post Season Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four A post season basketball is always anticipated and a topic of West Virginia basketball discussion and this year we have again two heavyweights ready to do battle at the end if all goes according to seeds and records throughout regular season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">REGION I</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Morgantown is the overwhelming favorite in this region with the high tempo offense and clamp down defense, University is across town setting with a two seed and a legit chance to get back to Charleston. Morgantown has split with the other 4A favorite in Spring Mills during regular season and has an athletic roster built with speed including [player_tooltip player_id='2375610' first='Amarion' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2241493' first='Demarcus' last='Bandy'], [player_tooltip player_id='2337710' first='Max' last='Frey'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2164534' first='Waylon' last='Colistra'], but have so much depth with [player_tooltip player_id='2605831' first='Alex' last='Himes'], [player_tooltip player_id='2382631' first='Brady' last='Savage'], [player_tooltip player_id='2243498' first='Marcus' last='Goins'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2554051' first='Camden' last='Kellogg'], all of whom typically get big minutes. That depth is what makes Morgantown the favorite to me in a state tournament where teams play 3 outta 4 days. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>University is a young and upstart group who've begun to gel and play great basketball. The roster only features two seniors, Zach Demidovich and [player_tooltip player_id='2322647' first='Chayce' last='Adams'], but young depth has developed and depth with athleticism and size. 6'4" sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2717106' first='Luke' last='Byrer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2434245' first='Kaleil' last='Lewis'] are making some waves and with their size and athleticism can guard multiple positions. [player_tooltip player_id='2378509' first='Jagger' last='Barnes'] has had a great year as well for a sophomore as well as fellow guard and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2413840' first='Glenn' last='Brown']. If this group can survive a likely matchup with a talented group from Buckhannon-Upshur they'll join cross town rival in Charleston. B-U will have something to prove as they likely move past John Marshall with some serious yet largely undiscovered talent in [player_tooltip player_id='2715910' first='Jerin' last='Westfall'], Jevon Westfall and [player_tooltip player_id='2722822' first='Xavier' last='Robinette']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">REGION II</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The region most people are most interested in could be region two. What it could turn into is absolute mayhem with upset possibilities everywhere. The lowest seed in Musselman has a game changing player in [player_tooltip player_id='2303399' first='Anden' last='Santamaria'] and then you look at Jefferson with [player_tooltip player_id='2683734' first='Braydon' last='Swanson'], Takeim Drake and [player_tooltip player_id='1310623' first='Jamari' last='Jenkins'] playing so well and giving upset vibes in Hedgesville during the first round. Hedgesville led by do-it-all [player_tooltip player_id='1309597' first='Xavier' last='Kirk'] wouldn't be a walk in the park for Spring Mills either and we haven't even talked about Washington yet. Washington, the three seed, has some dynamic players in particular [player_tooltip player_id='2053688' first='Jasiah' last='King'], who could be the best point guard in WV. Washington has good depth, length and athletes and a 6'7" big in the middle in [player_tooltip player_id='2707353' first='George' last='Welti']. [player_tooltip player_id='2303405' first='Kris' last='Doleman'], [player_tooltip player_id='2303391' first='Chet' last='Gore'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2699281' first='DJ' last='Boardley'] all provide alot of minutes and production when needed. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Martinsburg gets the two seed and will likely be matched up with Washington if I'm projecting. Martinsburg has a nice lineup with [player_tooltip player_id='2241497' first='Keshaun' last='Cheek'], [player_tooltip player_id='1966428' first='Anthony' last='Owunna'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2568596' first='Zion' last='Duah'] who all have great size and are athletic, however they've had their struggles throughout the year with deeper teams. If I'm making predictions I like Washington and Spring Mills to advance. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">REGION III</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Region three has like most regions, what I would project as a three team race. George Washington with [player_tooltip player_id='1851878' first='Noah' last='Lewis'], [player_tooltip player_id='2690972' first='Gale' last='Lamb'] and the up and coming freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2395983' first='Dominic' last='Sprouse'] have been the most steady and consistently dominant team in the southern half of WV. Meanwhile the guys down the street at South Charleston have been getting a little better every week with a huge win a couple weeks ago over Boyd County Kentucky. [player_tooltip player_id='1851905' first='Roman' last='Kellum'], [player_tooltip player_id='2208825' first='Zane' last='Saunders'], [player_tooltip player_id='2243481' first='De'Shad' last='Williams'], [player_tooltip player_id='2679289' first='Malcolm' last='Brown'], [player_tooltip player_id='2375169' first='Elijah' last='Martin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2306368' first='Tavarish' last='Porter-Martin'] log most minutes and carry the load for the Black Eagles and have begun to lock in defensively and spread the ball around. They have the size, talent and ahtletes to go toe to toe with anyone. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Woodrow Wilson is the team South Charleston could have nightmares about in March. Woodrow should easily win over Riverside and advance to qualifying game versus SC. Woodrow has some impressive basketball players in stud post [player_tooltip player_id='2241530' first='Jaylon' last='Walton'] who routinely posts double doubles, division one recruit [player_tooltip player_id='2114433' first='Zyon' last='Hawthorne'], sharp shooting [player_tooltip player_id='2092029' first='Coby' last='Dillon'], the athletic [player_tooltip player_id='2211913' first='Preston' last='Clary'] and sixth man [player_tooltip player_id='2395960' first='Lucas' last='Raney'] who's played very well down the stretch. I feel like South Charleston has enough toughness to overcome Woodrow and join GW at the civic center, but do not be surprised if Woodrow returns instead. Any way we slice it, a good team is getting left at home in this region. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">REGION IV</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I can honestly see upsets all over these brackets. Spring Valley who's been behind the steady hand of [player_tooltip player_id='2208848' first='Clay' last='Robertson'] and fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id='2366408' first='Colton' last='Caldwell'] have seen the emergence of [player_tooltip player_id='2345905' first='Harrison' last='Riggs'] who's put together some impressive performances in the last two months. SV will take on the winner of Parkersburg High led by Nathan Rodriguez who has to overcome the young but deep and talented roster of Cabell-Midland. C-M has been Jekyll and Hyde at times, but that's to be expected with a young roster. [player_tooltip player_id='2208851' first='Ethan' last='Blackburn'], [player_tooltip player_id='2241529' first='Coleson' last='Christus'], [player_tooltip player_id='2434792' first='Marshall' last='Summers'], Aiden Ray, [player_tooltip player_id='2313271' first='Evan' last='Hughes'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2303403' first='Sam' last='Phillips'] have really been able to keep it rolling with each picking up slack when its needed and producing while the emergence of freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2395988' first='Ayden' last='Spence'] has added a new wrinkle. I'd expect C-M to win this game due to the endless depth on their roster but it is March and they're very young. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The lower bracket features the two see Parkersburg South who boasts some impressive wins most recently at home versus Morgantown. South led by do everything [player_tooltip player_id='2208827' first='Navi' last='Hewitt'] who was recently offered by in-state juco Potomac State and he's supported by [player_tooltip player_id='2500111' first='Matthew' last='Mullen'], [player_tooltip player_id='2421841' first='Taj' last='Joyce'] and Radford offered [player_tooltip player_id='1851877' first='Harry' last='Silvis']. South squares off with Capital in the first round who is certainly an upset threat but South's size and matchup problems they pose will likely be too much. Huntington High has an outside chance as the three seed but I still believe this is cut and dry with Spring Valley and Parkersburg South. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->