The Basketball Nexus

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Sports fans, it's time for the Friday Free for All.
Over the next two hours, we'll bring you all the
latest from across the region in high school and college sports.
Now here are your hosts, Chris Johnson and Alex Wheeederspield.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good morning everybody, and welcome in What a great time
of year it is. The madness of March is here
on the Friday Free for All. We're going to try
to break down as much of it as we possibly can.
Good morning, I'm Alex Sweeterspiel here with you, and thanks
for being with us. Our show brought to you today
in part by our friends over at Dan Cavitta Buick GMC.

(00:41):
We're gonna go over what's going on at the girls Tournament.
We've got a bit of a different show today than
we normally do, so we're gonna hit four guests today
and we're gonna try to really stay focused because there
were a lot of great games in north central West
Virginia this week. So we're gonna talk with my part
earned crime, my co host Chris Johnson, who is right now,

(01:04):
I believe, on his way down to Charleston at this
exact moment. But we're gonna get him on the phone
at the bottom of the eight o'clock hour. We're gonna
hear from Travis Jones at the top of the eight
o'clock hour. He of course, has been in Charleston for
much of this week. We'll catch up on everything Mountain
East Conference. We'll catch up with Travis on what's going
on at the girls state tournament. A lot of great games,

(01:25):
some upsets even in the opening round as well, that's exciting.
We are gonna talk as well with Bill Nester coming
up at the bottom of this hour. Bill's gonna talk
with us about a couple of things. We're gonna talk
about RCB punching their ticket to the dance next week.
We're gonna talk about South Harrison, who lost to Richie
County last Friday night, and what that meant and the

(01:48):
game that they played, because they played a pretty good
game all things considered. We're gonna talk about South Harrison,
and we're gonna talk a little bit about Liberty's final
basketball game. The Mountaineers went to Doddridge County, played their
hearts out. Bill and I had a chance to see
that game live, and the Mountaineers couldn't quite get the
job done. Made it a heck of a game through
three quarters and then Doddridge pulled away, and congrats to

(02:10):
the Bulldogs, they played a great game. We're gonna go
over all of that and much more on today's show,
and Chris George is going to join us as well.
He's actually our first guest today, which is pretty uncommon.
We don't normally do first guest Chris George. So we're
a little we're a little bit out of order today,
but that's okay. First, now that all the tournament fields

(02:32):
are set, let's go over them. In Class single A,
tug Valley number one, Tucker County number two, East Hardy
number three, Greater Beckley, Christian at four, Huntington Saint Jose five,
Claybtel six, Magnolia seven, and Monkcom at eight. Then in
Class Double A, lots of good teams in Class double
A should be a really really interesting field. Class Double

(02:54):
A Williamstown earns the one, Wheeling Central Catholic, the two
West Side, the three, Wyoming East, the four, log In,
the five, Doddridge, the six, Ritchie the seven, and Buffalo
gets in with a losing record as the eighth seed
in Class Double A. In Class Triple A. It'll beat
Bridgeport at one, Shady Spring at two, Night Shrow at three,

(03:15):
Fairmount at four, Chapmanville five, Ripley at six, OURCB seven,
Elkins at eight, and Class Quadruple A. We have Spring
Mills one, Morgantown two, GW three, Spring Valley four, Woodrow,
Wilson five, University six, Parkersburg South seven and Martinsburg in
at number eight. We're gonna go over as much of

(03:35):
the field as we can, plus a lot of what's
going on on the girls side as well. A lot
of great action in that tournament so far, and Gilmour
County got a big, big win blue out Notre Dame
yesterday in Class Single A in the one eight game
semi final. Action is now underway. Finals action is tomorrow Saturday.

(03:58):
That's gonna be available on the Metro News TV app,
so make sure you're checking that out. Today's games from
Charleston starting at nine to thirty. You can hear all
of these right here on WKMZ Wayne and Greenbrier East
in the Class Triple A semi final. Spring Valley Saint
Albans in the second game on the Class Quadruple A
semi final Grafton and Nitro Class Triple A semi final.

(04:20):
The winner, of course, plays the winner of Greenbrier East
and Wayne. Grafton has not yet lost to a single
team in the state of West Virginia this season. Class
Single A semis Gilmour and Cameron in the five thirty
games that starts the evening sessions, GW and Morgantown in
the Class Quadruple A game number two. Morgantown, we're going
to get back to the finals and we'll rap with
tug Valley in Greenbrier West in Class Single A, and

(04:43):
then the championships already won set for Class Double A
on Saturday. Charleston Catholic, Wheeling Central Catholic. That's the first
game ten am Saturday morning, and then the Class Triple
A game twelve thirty Quad A five o'clock Single A
at seven thirty. You're going to want to check all
that out, of course, course at wvmetronews dot com. All

(05:04):
that said, let's go ahead and get our first guest
lined up, Chris George on zoom. We'll talk with him.
This is the Friday free for all, brought to you
by Dan Kavitziota Buick GMC back after.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
This time for more high school sports talk on the
Dan Cavatoyota WIGMC Friday Free for All.

Speaker 2 (05:22):
Chris George now joining us on the Friday Free for All.
A little out of order compared to normal. He's our
first guest today as opposed to our well, I wouldn't
say last, but certainly closer to the end usually around
the eight twenty eight to thirty segment. Chris is leading
off the show today. Chris, you're fresh off of a
heck of a game last night for Bridgeport. They actually

(05:44):
didn't look great in the opening frame as I understand it,
and then really turned it on. And that's been kind
of a common theme for the really good teams in
this regional tournament on both sides. Really that you've seen
a couple of these frames where I don't know what's
going on this team and they kind of counterpunched back
and are able to pull away. And Bridgeport clearly the

(06:05):
better team yesterday limited Hampshire I think to what was it,
twelve points through the final three quarters of that game.
They had seven in the first quarter. Uh so the
Indians defense was was all over them yesterday.

Speaker 3 (06:19):
Yeah, and I give all the credit in the world
to to Hampshire. Hampshire came out and played hard. They
had a very good game plan defensively with Bridgeport. They
started out in man and then they switched to a
zone that was more of a hybrid three to two
two three combination where they would shade the outside part

(06:44):
of the zone a guy. It kind of looked like
a three to two because what would happen is when
Bridgeport would reverse the ball into the corner to land
in Sanders, they would all, I'm actually have two guys
won him. And that was the game plan, was to
take Sanders out. Sanders had seven threes and twenty five
points the first time He's two teams played back on
January twenty fifth, So coach Al Kaier had a very

(07:04):
good game plan to slow Bridgeport and Hanswer played hard
on both ends of the floor. Defensively. They were very
pesky on d getting a lot of hands on passes,
stripped a couple of our guards and we turned it
over too many times in the first half, just in
that part. Some of that on Bridgeport just didn't see
the four well, didn't come out ready to go, and

(07:24):
you know, talking to the coaches earlier this year. Some
of that is is they felt the team was maybe
too pumped up before games and they kind of came
out a little bit excited, and you saw a little
bit of that last night. They kind of would run
themselves down the floor into a double teams just not
seeing the flod that's kind of panicked nerves and it's
a regional championship that's going to happen. But once the

(07:46):
games started to slow down, the games started to settle in.
It was really until the second half. Bridgeport went on
a twenty nine to two run to start the second
half and boom, pouts over. And we've seen that story
written a lot this year where Bridgeport, in the last
month the season, other than the Fairmount Senior game, would
struggle in the first half of games and blow people
out in the second. Now, it was weird because the

(08:07):
first half the year it was the it was Bridgeport
jumping out the big leads on teams. That's kind of
what happened in Romney back in January when the teams
played the first time, but Bridgeport imposed their will in
the second half. Jack Spataford had a great game seventeen
points fifteen in which came in the second half. Carters
Leoni played well. Bridgeport out rebound in Hampshire by a

(08:27):
huge margin, probably close to twenty rebounds on the night,
if not more. Just a huge advantage on the boards,
and Bridgeport much focused, much more focused in the second half,
and they get the win and they finish the regular
part of their schedule before we head to Charleston twenty
three and one. And that's good for the number one seed,

(08:48):
no kidding.

Speaker 2 (08:50):
And we've been talking about it now for what feels
like months. We've been talking about this team and their
ability to get there, to get to the tournament, to
get to Charleston, to get at the number one seed,
and we've speculated on it, we've talked about it, we've
analyzed it, and now they have done the deed. They
are going as the top seed in Class Triple A,

(09:11):
and they're going to face a team that you're uniquely
familiar with as well in Elkins, who the Tigers got
to win over North Marion in the regional final in
that one and as a result, that is your one
eight matchup. Let's talk a little bit about that one.
For the Indians, I mean, everything they've continued to pass
every test. Here's another one.

Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yeah, it's a team they're familiar with in the Big Ten. Elkins,
they played them back in the first few days of February.
I think it was February fourth. I could be wrong
on that. Tho Let's way that first week Bridgeport again,
it's like we talked about, first half, a little bit
of a struggle. Credit Elkins how they played and Bridgeport
went on to win the game going away in the
second half, final score sixty four to forty nine. But

(09:56):
it wasn't one of Bridgeport's better games defensively, but Elkins
serves a lot of credit for that. Head coach Armott
Rayfield has a has a team that pretty much runs
a five out offense. They're starting five. Their center or
a post player, whichever you want to call him, Landon
Street is able to extend a defense and he hit
five threes that night, and Carter Zuliani learned that he's

(10:18):
going to have to go out there and guard him.
And that was a matchup that Elkins wanted to expose.
They knew that Bridgeport was much stronger, bigger, and more
talented overall, so they tried to spread the Indians out
half court and stretch them out, implied to play the
game on the perimeter. Elkins hit nine threes that night
to keep him in that game, and Bridgeport imposed their

(10:38):
will in the second half one on the win the game.
So I'm sure that'll be the game plan for the Tigers.
The head coach ham Att Rayfield coming up on Tuesday
at seven pm and Charleston. But I think Bridgeport learned
a less tonight, and I think they learned it by
being punched in the mouth by a team that was
the heavy underdog. Elkins likewise will be an underdog, not
as heavy as what Hampshire was, but it teaches bridge

(11:00):
or less you better come out focused. You better come
out focused and ready to play early and often, because
the longer you let teams like Hampshire Elkins hang around,
the more they got a chance to pull the upset.
Because strange things have happened in that building in Charleston,
and bridge Sports got to get out of this rut
because whether it's Elkins or if they would get by

(11:20):
the Tigers in the second round, whomever the opponent may be,
Chapmanville or Fairmont Senior, you gonna get beat. And this
Bridgeport team is capable of winning it all, but they're
also there's potential that could go down there and lose.
So from here on it's one game at a time
and that's the approach Dave Marshall and his staff will have,
and I think he's going to get his team's attention.
After the first half performance yesterday against.

Speaker 2 (11:43):
Hampshire, I was going to ask you about how Dave
Marshall feels about playing a team he's already played in
that first round. I'm always curious about do coaches prefer
that at this time of the year, would they rather
have someone they have been played before?

Speaker 3 (11:57):
I think you would prefer to play someone different. Ask him.
I know when the rematch potentially was there to play
Lincoln in the postseason, he much rather had played someone else,
which he did in Berkeley Springs.

Speaker 4 (12:10):
And that's no.

Speaker 3 (12:11):
Offense to that's actually more respect to teams like Lincoln
or Elkins or whomever he may play.

Speaker 5 (12:16):
But I don't know.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
I haven't talked to him about it. I think kids
are more comfortable playing someone they've already played, and that'll
help them because let's face it, you know, Bridgeports had
a heck of a year twenty three and one, but
you're going down to play in Charleston Coliseum and some
of these kids played down there two years ago and
they got a taste of it, where these sophomores have not.
So I think it's good to play someone you're familiar

(12:39):
with that first game on Tuesday, and we'll see how
it goes form.

Speaker 2 (12:44):
Let's take a look at the bracket as a whole,
and I kind of want to get your thoughts on this,
because it sure looks like in the second round there's
a likely scenario where we're going to see a showdown
coming between Bridgeport and Fharirmont Senior. Should vote those teams
win Bridgeport. Of course, the one Fairmont Senior is the

(13:05):
four so there's a real good chance that those two
teams could play again in the second round. And I
have to say, you know, one of the things you
kind of pointed out to me before we got on
the air, a bit of an interesting choice that Fairmont
Senior at the four seed. And obviously I say choice,
it's it's you know, you've got people voting on this,
but Fairmont Senior at the four seed is definitely well.

(13:28):
It feels like, as the kids these days would say,
feels like a choice because there's some argument to make
that they could be a little higher than that.

Speaker 3 (13:36):
Yeah, I mean you look at the seeds that came
out tonight for the boys and trip a Fairmont Senior
Nitros similar records head to head. Nitro played Fairmont three
weeks ago on a Saturday, Nitro and Faaramount nine on
Nitro's floor. So I kind of thought, you know, they've
played head to head one time, that's something you can

(13:58):
look at and vote for. And to me, I think,
in my personal opinion, Fairmont Senior. And this is no
disrespect to Nitro, who's got a very good team, but
I would have had Fairmont three just because they had
to head win with records that are very similar in
schedules that are very similar, you know, So I would
have had Shady two. I would have had Fairmont three,
and then Nitro and Chapmanville four or five respectively, and

(14:22):
then everything else kind of went like I thought it would.
But that puts Fairmont in four or five matchup with Chapmanville.
And I may tell you something, it's Chapmanville teams a
good team. It's a very good team. They're virtual unknown
to people up in north central West Virginia. But they're
very good. They always play good basketball. They very well coached.
It's a team that's familiar with the Charleston Coliseum and
it's also a team to beat Nitro during the year

(14:44):
by sixteen points, So we know that that's gonna be
a tough matchup. They have some size. It wouldn't surprise
me if Chapmanville won that game. That's going to be
an interesting matchup between Fairmont and Chapmanville. The winner, it
could be a toss up. It really could. I think
might have the advantage with experience, but Chapmanville's talented and
they're playing really good basketball right now. That's gonna be

(15:06):
interesting to see who it's at.

Speaker 2 (15:08):
W All right, let's jump over to Class single A
and I want to talk a little bit about Tucker County.
They of course Cohen Back, surprise, surprise, it feels like
Tucker County. They just live at the Charleston College. They
should they probably should get charged for rent at this point.

(15:31):
Between the boys and the girls at the Charleston Coliseum.
Come come the month of March. But Head and Back
got the two seed, right behind tug Valley the one
seed getting in. They'll play Magnolia in the two seven
game in the opening round, which I believe is going
to be on Thursday next week, so that's one of
the later quarterfinal games. It's a one o'clock game, but

(15:53):
it's one of the last. I think that actually might
be the last quarterfinal game, and then there are going
to be some semi final games for the their classifications
on that day after, so that's pretty late. But they
got a couple of days, really a week off at
this point. What do you think about this Tucker County team.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
I think they deserve to be there, there's no doubt
about it. I think the seed's right. I think the
two's fair. I mean, they split their matchup head to
him with Naito, but Niro won more convincingly on their
home floor than what Tucker did on theirs. They won
an overtime over took Valley the Panthers back in December.
But either way, I think one or two it really
doesn't matter at this stage. But they're playing Magnolia, a
team they played and beat in a holiday tournament by

(16:35):
thirty back in late December early January area. I don't
know the exact date, but Garrett wolf Fong was ill
and did not suit up and play for Tucker the
other night and their championship went over Pilton County and
Tucker was coming into that game with thirteen days off
due to the schedule. They had the one seed in
the region and received a buy so they were off

(16:57):
thirteen days and boy, they did it show and a first
order against Pendleton. They really struggled in the first quarter.
It was pretty sloppy. I actually watched the game and
I was like, whoa. And then it's just like everything
they were doing is shooting threes a three point shot,
and how they run their offense is their system. But boy,
once the second quarter started, Tucker hit eighteen threes for

(17:18):
the game and didn't need Garrett Wilfong against the Pendleton
game team. That was game and they really played well early.
But Pendleton could not withstand the raft of the of
the Tucker County guards. They shot the ball well. So
it's gonna be Tucker and Magnolia in that two to
seven game. I would assume Garrett Wolfong will be back
next week. They're going to need him to make a

(17:39):
run and it's time for Tucker and I'm sure Daniel
Helmke's telling his kids, Look, we've been down there every year.
It's time we bring one home. We let one slip
away last year when we were the favorites to win,
and we let it slip away late to Tug Valley.
But in order to get to the Tug Valley, they're
gonna have to take a one game at the time.
It starts at Magnolia.

Speaker 2 (17:58):
And by the way, I was just doing some research
on Magnolia. Credit to them because I had remembered seeing
that they'd beaten Richie County and they actually they won
ten straight and the regular season, including those regional games.
So kudos to Magnolia. They're playing really well right now.

Speaker 3 (18:15):
Yeah, and this is going to be a tougher opponent.
This isn't going to be a thirty point game. I
think Magnolia is going to give everything or get give
Tucker everything they can handle. I think this could come
down to the final five minutes.

Speaker 4 (18:25):
I really do.

Speaker 3 (18:26):
If Tucker plays their style of basketball, they'll be okay.
But man, I'm telling you, Tucker County really lives and
die in at three point shot a lot. And if
those shots don't fall down in Charleston We've talked about
it's a tough place to shoot. This could be interesting,
but I think Tucker's athleticism their defense will prevail here
and get them pass. But I think it's gonna be
a much tougher game. That was the first time they.

Speaker 2 (18:47):
Played, and I just wanted to wrap get a quick
thought on some of your impressions on the girls tournament
so far. Obviously, Tucker County lost girls side lost on Thursday,
and I was a little surprised to see them seated
as high as they were seated as a three seed,
and they wind up getting upset in the first round,
and it's tough loss for Tucker County. But at the

(19:09):
same time, you know, I think it's been a pretty
good tournament so far.

Speaker 3 (19:14):
Disappointing, and I say that because Tucker was the three seed. Ah,
maybe four three, fine, I can see that. But I
told you here a few weeks back, we were talking
about Tucker girls. They just hadn't played well down the stretch.
It got a little bit better when they got into
the postseason, but they hit a little rough patch there

(19:34):
towards the end of the year and it carried over
in the first half. They were down fourteen at one
point in the first half against Greenborough West, and they
had they had eighteen turnovers in the first half. Green
Borrough West scored forty two points in the first half
and they went on to win the game seventy four
to sixty seven. Give Tucker credit, they were able to
battle back and take a lead with about two and

(19:57):
a half to go, but then one of their young
ladies fouled out. It was after that, it was it
was all. It was all Green Briar West. And you know,
it was tough, it really was. And twenty eight turner
or twenty five turnovers, excuse me for the lady mount

(20:18):
lines that game. And defensively to gop up way too
many straight line drives, too many transition points, some threes.

Speaker 4 (20:29):
Just a tough loss.

Speaker 3 (20:30):
And you know, Tucker, I think the difference with this
Tucker team this year was defensively just not what they're
used to in past years that die saw just not
the same team defensively, and I think they'll tell you
that defense hurt them here. But also valuing the basketball,

(20:51):
twenty five turnovers can't have it against a green Briar
West team that had some common opponents. I mean they
lost to Pocahontas twice. Tucker easily to Pokehonus this year,
so tough loss. Credit to Green Bar West and the
ladies will have to rebuild. They lose some very good
seniors and led by Raven Matthews had an outstanding game
down down in Charleston yesterday. Big game for her and

(21:14):
she'll be missed. She a six foot one post player
that you know has college aspiration, so somewhere. But tough
loss for Tucker and they'll have to regroup and try
again next year.

Speaker 2 (21:27):
Well that brings us to the end, Chris. I know
baseball season is not quite here yet for the high
school game, though it's it's fast approaching and at the
major's level, all I'm thinking about is how the Yankees
are going to be without two superstars to start the season,
impossibly for the whole season, including Garrett Cole who's having
Tommy John surgery. But other than that, I mean, hey,

(21:49):
baseball seasons right around the corner.

Speaker 3 (21:51):
Yeah, and I think it's time that at a major
league level there needs to be some discussion on the pitching.
I mean, you're seeing more Tommy John injuries now than
ever before, and they're preaching a max vilo in spin rate,
and they want that max spin rate on breaking pitches,
the sliders. They want the max vilo and fastballs, and

(22:12):
kids when they're coming up at a young age understand this.
And you're seeing more fifteen, sixteen, seventeen year old kids
throw mid to upper eighties until low nineties. It's crazy.
But then what's happening is when they get a little
bit older, bang, boom pal There goes the elbow and
you're snapping off breaking balls more than before. They want

(22:34):
that max spin rate. That's a heavy snap. That's a
lot of strain on the elbow. And then when you're
out there just trying to chuck fast part, you're not
with the pitch counts of the young age and little leg. Okay,
because now at little leg you have pitch counts, which
is fine. I get it, totally understand till you support it.
But the arm is not built up as strong as
it was when guys like Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens,

(22:57):
Ramo Martinez, guys like that that came up Pedro Martinez
who was five foot eleven, but that kid was throwing
rocks and his arm was conditions at age five, never
had surgery, never had arm trouble. So I'm not saying
you have to get back the way they used to pitch.
I'm saying that sooner or later were we have to
get back to actual pitching and not worry so much

(23:18):
about the spin rate. And guy's throwing one hundred and
two miles an hour all the time. It's hard on
the arms, and I hate to see it. Derek Cole
is a hero for the game. He's one of the
best players in the game, and I think baseball needs
him and we're going to miss him for a year
and hopefully he can get back out there this time
next year. But it seems like every year every team's

(23:38):
got one or two guys that are going down to
this severe Tommy John injury. And the one thing I'll say,
compared to the past, you're usually built stronger than you
were before after it's done. But now we're starting to
see multiple second time call me John's of players, and
that's just it's sad. So best of luck to Cole
and we'll see what happens. But this kind of wanted
to bring that point up. I know you agree because
we've talked about it. Before hate to see it.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
Yeah, it's tough, and I mean I'm always I'm always
about pro health. I like longevity for guys. I want
to see them play as long as they can, and
whatever can be done to maximize that is preferable in
my mind, especially for pictures.

Speaker 3 (24:16):
I think they need to have an interview with some
of the old guard that we talked about some most
pictures I mentioned, and sit down and kind of explain
how it was when they were growing up as kids,
what they did to strengthen their arms, to prepare themselves
to throw. Because no, only Rude through it in the
mid nineties and we all know that, but his arm
was built for it. And maybe compare then what's going

(24:38):
on now and maybe try to find a way to
fix this at a young age to where this doesn't happen.

Speaker 4 (24:43):
We'll see.

Speaker 3 (24:44):
I mean, I'm no doctor by any means. I just
noticed a huge difference in all the years in baseball
I've been involved with. And I used to be able
to count on one hand how many kids through ninety
miles an hour within twenty five thirty plus years of
prep baseball. Now, within the last two or three years,
I can count on two hand and how many kids
are throwing doughty so it's changed.

Speaker 2 (25:03):
That's wild.

Speaker 6 (25:04):
Hey.

Speaker 2 (25:04):
I look forward to talking baseball with you later, Chris.
In the meantime, we're gonna go and wrap the segment
up and get on with some more Harrison County basketball talk,
which we've got coming up with Bill Nester on the
other side of this break, we're gonna step aside. This
is the Friday Free for All, brought to you by
Dan Kavitz at a Buick GMC.

Speaker 1 (25:24):
Time for more high school sports talk on the Dan
Cavatoyo Wick GMC Friday Free for All.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
All right, and we're back in the studio. Alex Wheeters
spiel here with you, making sure all the buttons are pressed,
all the eyes dotted, t's crossed, and good morning everybody.
We've got a great show. Still lots of good guests today.
Also a quick addendum, I think we're gonna have head
coach Paul Burns side of Doddridge County is going to
join us right at the end of the show on
the phone. So in the last couple of minutes, I

(25:54):
think we've got Paul Burns side and looking forward to that.
His Doddridge County Bulldogs played a terrific game on Wednesday.

Speaker 6 (26:01):
This week.

Speaker 2 (26:02):
We're going to chat about that in part with Bill Nester,
who along with myself, was there to see that game.
We'll talk about that. But Bill, welcome in. Good morning,
and I know you're fresh off another a really good
game last night where RCB punched their ticket to the dance.

Speaker 4 (26:18):
Good morning, Alex. Yeah, what an exciting game. That was
a great opportunity for Robert ceed Bird. It looked like
it was going to be smooth sailing in the second half.
RCB had a sizeable seventeen point lead to give gret
to Lewis County. They bounced back and cut it down
to a three point ball game. Could have been anybody's ballgame,
and Robert Siebert had to fight hard to get that win.

(26:38):
So it turned out to be a very exciting game
down the stretch, and what we thought was going to
be a game in cruise control there for a good
bit of the second half.

Speaker 2 (26:48):
Got to be a little bit of vindication for Basil Lucas,
for these players, because as you as as you have
noted this season throughout this show, I mean, it feels
like RCB has never been healthy really at all during
the regular season, and they finally started getting in the
right direction health wise towards the end of the season,

(27:08):
getting into regional play, and boy, it couldn't have come
at a better time. Seemed like they needed everybody in
yesterday's win.

Speaker 4 (27:15):
They sure did. You know. When you look at this
team and I was doing some checking on some of
the players, there were only three players heading into this
contest that had actually been involved in every game this year,
and so Logan voiced the team's league scorer, cam mows
on the second lead score and Cooper Floyd, the transfer
from Liberty, the only three players this year to play

(27:37):
in every game. So that gives you an idea of
how the injury bug had bitten Robert Seedbird throughout. Now
with the Robert Seedbird squad had a problem coming into
this game. Alex Is Junior Smith not with the team anymore,
so the starting point guard didn't play the game last night,
so that caused an issue and some concern. The team

(27:59):
had to galvanize itself, rally around itself and fortify itself
and had to play without Smith, who has been playing
some great basketball here as of late. So they had
to get the job done shorthanded once again, and hats
go off to you know, coach Lucas, the coaching staff,
and the players for rallying and coming together at a
tough time to pick up the wins. So even though

(28:21):
they were shorthanded once again with the absence of Smith,
they managed to get the job done.

Speaker 2 (28:26):
Nonetheless, it seems like they're gonna need They're gonna need
Smith going forward. They've got a real tough draw in
the in the first round. Is he going to be
available for the tournament next week?

Speaker 4 (28:37):
No, he's no longer with the team.

Speaker 2 (28:38):
Oh, I'm sorry, I.

Speaker 6 (28:39):
Believe the team.

Speaker 4 (28:40):
Yes, So he looks like he will be done this year,
and so that's a that's a huge loss for this team.
Smith a very talented player, a great young man, but
elected to step aside, and so RCB is going to
move forward without him. And they had a lot of
good players step up in this contest for players and
double figures, and Anthony Barbario played his very best basketball

(29:02):
game in the season. Very impressive play for Barbario, who
had a big ankle injury this year that kept him
out of several games. He looks to be one hundred
percent and really controlled the basketball game point guard position
and stepped out and was ultra aggressive with the basketball
going to the basket. I had had a really nice
driving layup and a very good assist in the second

(29:25):
half as well, putting the pressure on the Lewis County guards,
breaking down the defense, putting them in vulnerable positions. So Barbario,
if he plays like that moving forward, is going to
give this team a huge push in Charleston.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
I know I told you before we got on the
air that I wish I had stopped and gotten some coffee.
Seems like I could have used that extra should of
caffeine this morning. I totally admits that about Junior Smith.
That's that's an unfortunate loss. But RCB gets in either way. Now,
I don't know how far ahead you're looking. Obviously, you
know the state tournament is done at you know, by

(30:01):
the Collective, the Collective mother ship down down South. So
it's always it's always tough for play by plays. It's
funny we have this conversation every year where you know,
it's like we we shepherd them through to the regional
round and we see them off. And I remember talking
with a friend of mine who covered another team actually
out of the region about this a couple of years ago,
and we had it on the show. Actually I want

(30:22):
to say two years ago, and they you know, they
would still do like pre and post game coverage, you know,
surrounding the game any of the games that the team
won in in Charleston. But I am curious, what do
you know about Shady Spring and and what do you
know about how RCB matches up with Shady Spring, because
it's not a team that I follow regularly other than

(30:43):
knowing that they're really good, they're really experienced, and they've
won a lot.

Speaker 4 (30:48):
Really, that's the thing you need to know the most.
Alex is right there tells you everything you know about him. Obviously,
with the number two seed, they're going to be a
handful and for Robert c. Burt, who's played them in
the past a couple different times, they're going to be athletic,
they're gonna get up and down the floor. And for
Robert seed Bird, they're going to have to play their
best basketball to get this win. Obviously, playing on Wednesday night,

(31:09):
that's a good draw. It's an opportunity for Flangel Nation
to get to Charleston, to be able to support the team,
and that's a positive they're looking forward. If you can
get by shating Shady Spring, then you've got an opportunity
to play the Nitro Ripley winner. And of course Nitro
might have done the best favor for Bridgeport possible giving
them their lone loss, And of course a lot of

(31:29):
people will say, you know, fans will say, how is
that a favor to the Indians. Well, you don't ever
want to go into a tournament undefeated with a monkey
on your back and a bullseye, So you know, having
the lone loss I think really helps Bridgeport moving into
this tournament. So Nitro and Ripley locking up and an
opportunity for Robert seed Bird to face the winner of
that contest on Friday morning at nine thirty if they

(31:51):
can advance. So that kind of sets the scene for
Robert Seedbird moving forward in Charleston. So first things First,
of they do have to get by very good team
that's the number two seed and from the Flying Eagles,
who maybe might feel a little bit slighted being in
that number seven spot, maybe a little bit of a
chip on their shoulder, wanting to prove that they maybe

(32:11):
could have been seated a little bit higher. So a
lot of things going their way moving forward, and playing
the most complete basketball game of the year last night,
as we talked about a moment ago with four different
players and double figures led by Manny Holmes with thirteen
points off of the bench for RCB, and Holmes had
a rib injury that kept him out of about a

(32:31):
month of basketball Alex So when if that much basketball
trying to get back into hoops shape is an issue,
especially with a rib injury, which causes issues with your breathing.
And he's looking like he's ready to go. Looks fantastic
in that game and played well on both ends of
the floor. So he's going to be one of his
X factors moving forward, a difference maker. And like the

(32:55):
way that RCB played collectively in this game, and I
like the iron and the focus that they had down
the stretch. A lot of teams would have wilted. When
you give up a seventeen point lead and you get
it trimmed down like they did last night to three points,
you know, you're thinking to yourself, Wow, what's you know,
what's going to happen? And you're just waiting for something

(33:16):
else to go wrong, because this kind of had the
basketball a chance to tie it, as they had a
three ball open look from out front top of the key,
which could have noted the game up. Fortunately for the Fangles,
that shot didn't go. They got the rebound and secured
the lead and eventually would go on to win. But
it was that close to the ball game. So anytime
you go from having that usu of a lead and

(33:37):
losing it, all that pressure goes on to your shoulders,
and they felt the heat. They stood the heat and
took the win. So they showed a lot of maturity
in that win as well. So they got to win
in a very tough, difficult situation and moving forward they
have to feel really good about themselves on their way
to Charleston.

Speaker 2 (33:56):
Yeah, this is going to be one of those interesting
kind of storylines to watch, and of course we will
watch it next week. As you wonder about how sort
of the tournament experience of a team like Shady Spring
versus the inexperience of a team like RCBING, whether or
not that'll be a major factor, only something that the
actual games themselves will be able to reveal. Bill, you

(34:17):
and I had an awesome opportunity this week to check
out a game and broadcast a game on the fby
which is our sister station here w for WKMZ between
Doddridge County and the Liberty Mountaineers. Final ever brought a
game in the history of Liberty's program. As it would
turn out, it was a literal win or go home
for them, and unfortunately for Liberty, you know, they couldn't

(34:40):
quite pull it off. Played a great three quarters, particularly
a fantastic third quarter, and they had trimmed a double
digit lead down to six, had all the momentum going
into the fourth quarter, and then Doddridge County absolutely locked
up defensively in the fourth quarter, a terrific performance and
ultimately winning fifty four to thirty six, limiting the Mountaineers

(35:01):
to four points in the fourth quarter. And uh, it's
it's you know, I kind of want to talk about
this game a little bit with you, but you know,
it's it's kind of this this dual feeling of you know,
I obviously it's a really emotional moment, a really tough
moment for Liberty, and at the same time, I'm just
so impressed with Dodgerge County. I'm really excited to see
what they do uh here in the next next week

(35:21):
when when things get underway and I got to double
check what day they're actually what day they're actually playing
next week. I'll let folks know that in a second,
and reminder that we have Paul Burnside head coach coming
up in about an hour joining us. But you and
I got a chance to catch a pretty good one,
and uh, you know again, I don't think the score
is indicative of that was a pretty good game. A
lot of runs here, you know, back and forth and

(35:41):
and and how easy it is to be impressed with
what Dodgridge County did well.

Speaker 4 (35:47):
Alec. This is a rare occasion during the high school
season when we can do a broadcast and do a
neutral broadcast where you're not doing it for a team.

Speaker 6 (35:57):
You know.

Speaker 4 (35:57):
Obviously we're fortunate enough to do several broad cast together,
and we're doing them for South Harrison and so everything
is shaded that way because we're seeing them multiple times.
In this broadcast, we're doing an opportunity to do a
game for Liberty and Doddrich County, so you're really, in essence,
pulling for both teams. You want them both to play well.

(36:18):
And we had a chance to talk to both coaches
multiple times this week. My first two conversations with Zach
Bart occurred this week, and I can tell you thoroughly
impressed with Coach Bart in the thought process he has,
in the approach he takes with the game of basketball,
the lovey has for his team, the lovey had for

(36:40):
this Liberty school. I'm really impressed with that. So as
we talk about Liberty, first of all, I really liked
the approach he had moving forward into this game. Obviously
his back against the wall as he's playing a Bulldog
team that was ten and zero at home going into
this game. Liberty played Dodders County earlier this year and
very similar starts to the game, as Liberty scored just

(37:04):
eight points in the first two quarters of the game
against the Bulldogs on the seventeenth of December. They only
had seventeen points in the first half of this lock
up this past Wednesday. But what a third quarter of
plays you mentioned a moment ago. They outscored Dodgers County
fifteen to seven in that third quarter, had all the
momentum going. But as Coach talked to us in the
post game, they had so many opportunities in transition in

(37:26):
that second half where they were so excited to get
out and they had the numbers, but they just couldn't
collect passes that would have led the easy and contested buckets.
They were just frustrating turnovers for not only coach bart
but as players because they had the numbers in two
on ones or three on two situations but just couldn't
cash in. So those were just frustrating for them and

(37:47):
they just really felt like they had those opportunities and
they slipped away. It was heartbreaking for him. And then
on the other side, when we talked about the Bulldogs,
coach Burnside, what more can you say about him? Of
the attitude he has coming into it. And when we
talked to coach Burnside, the first thing that he says
is he gives glory to God. But the first thing

(38:09):
he says when he talks to you, doesn't say a
word about basketball until he addresses his faith and belief
in God. And you know, that stood out to me,
and it stood out to me between the third and
the fourth quarters of play because all the momentum, one
hundred percent of it was on the side of liberty
and where we were setting in the angle of the

(38:29):
corner of that gymnasium. We were an extension of a
bulldog bench. So we could see the look on Coach
Burnside's face, we could see his eyes, we could see
him address the team because we were just an extension
of that sideline, and the faith and belief that he
displayed it resonated and those players took that and they

(38:51):
carried it back on to the floor and they played
the most solid, intense eight minutes of basketball defensively that
I've seen him quite some time. Guards could only get
two or three dribbles before they were forced to pick
the ball up. They had to start their offense out
near mid court. Dodgers County even blocked a pair of
three point shot attempts. I mean, it was smothering defense

(39:13):
like I haven't seen him quite some time. And that
was a result of the focus and determination that Coach
Burnside had, that he relayed his players in between quarters
when most coaches would have panicked. Because of the effort
and the focus that Liberty had in that third quarter.
What a change that we saw in momentum, What a
game that we had a chance to broadcast. It was

(39:35):
exciting on both ends. Both teams played great basketball. They
laid everything on the line. You knew at the end
of the game how much that game meant to each
team because of the chance to get to Charleston. For Liberty,
it would be their last game in school history. They
represented that school well. And for Dodgers County, what a
great chance for them. They wanted to get back because

(39:56):
they felt like they had an unfinished business and they
played like they want to get back, and they wanted
to make their team and their school proud, and they
did just that as well. So well done by both teams.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
By the way, I can't believe I forgot this, but
Dodgridge County it's the first game of the whole tournament.
They played nine thirty Tuesday morning in the six to
three game against West Side Dodgerdge County one of only
two Class Double A teams to win more than twenty games.
They are going to be the sixth seed. Wheeling Central
Catholic the other team who won more than twenty They
are the two seeds, so we'll keep an eye on that.

(40:28):
Dodgers is a really interesting team. They don't necessarily have
a go to scorer. They play a really, really even
team oriented defensive game, which means they may not blow
anybody out, but boy, they're going to be a tough
out in almost any game as long as the general
team shooting does not collapse. One other note here, Richie

(40:49):
County has taken on Wheeling Central Catholic in the two
seven game. Congratulations to the Rebels. Both the girls and
the boys team get to the state tournament in Charleston.
Now South Harrison lost to Richie County, played a pretty
good game, lost to the Rebels by nine on the
road in the regional semi final. I know, obviously you
were doing a regional semi final over in Clarksburg that night,
but I did at least want to get your take

(41:11):
on the end of the season for South Harrison. We've
talked about it all season. These three freshmen, two sophomore
starting lineup, really really young group, and it looks like,
you know, the Hawks are not far away and they
could be getting some reinforcements next year. Potentially they are,
and didn't lose anybody. There was no senior player on

(41:31):
Senior Day. The Hawks don't look like they're particularly far
off from being a team that's going to be competing
on you know, the final day of the regular season.
These regional final games sure seems like the Hawks next
year could very easily be playing in or even hosting
one of these.

Speaker 4 (41:47):
You're exactly right, and Alex, Before we get into South Harrison,
I want to talk about Hawk Nation. They lost a
great man. New Messenger passed away this week and Danny Messenger,
whose son plays on JV squad, his father passed away.
And Neil was a great coach in Harrison County and
lots to a lot of people, And I want to

(42:08):
save that until we got to South Harrison. But you
talk about this Hawk group and these youngsters. They are
full of youth, exuberance and raw talent, and we saw
them come together throughout this season. That huge win over
Tiger's Valley showed where this team can go. Heartbreaking loss

(42:29):
at Richie County. You know, of course the Rebels, they're
a handful for anybody, and of course, playing on their court,
they had a big advantage going into that contest. You
had the feeling that if South Harrison could stay out
of foul trouble, they could compete with the Rebels, and
of course they did get into the foul situation. They
had the issues with that. They got the big man,

(42:50):
Isaac Hodges in foul trouble but couldn't cash in on it.
So when you look at these guys that are returning,
I think that the best day for South Harrison Sheer
Alex was senior Day because there was no celebration at
South Harrison because there were no seniors to be had.
That means everybody's coming back for next season, and you

(43:11):
might get a couple of new parts coming in which
would help solidify and already solid group of players. You
got some players inside. Adam Marple with never ending hustle
and effort. He's contagious for these guys inside. Joseph Fins
Demaker what an inside outside threat. He's a hard guard
for anybody. And then you've got Cooper Sanders and Graham

(43:33):
Sauce outside. Those guys put up big point production throughout
the year. The sky's limit for this group and Alex.
If they work hard in the offseason, continue to work
together and play together, there's going to be something come
next year and they're still going to be really young.
But they found ways to win at the end of
the year against Tiger's Valley, and I hope that that
confidence level grows because of that win and they can

(43:56):
move into the start of next year. And how about
the effort Scott Waller put forth, He and Rich Finstermonker
and coach Toothman. Those guys came together in a difficult
time this year and pulled this group of youngsters together.
They made a total effort step forward, and those guys led,
They led these youngsters and made an impact on their

(44:18):
lives and also moved them forward in a basketball court
as well. So congratulations to those coaches and these young
men for moving forward and really improving dramatically as the
year went on.

Speaker 2 (44:29):
Well said one quick note on Adam Marple. I'm going
to say this isn't going to sound like an insult,
but it is anything but. Adam Marple has a disease,
and it's the disease of effort. And the South Harrison
Hawks better hope that disease is contagious because if it is, boy,
they are going to have places to go. That kid
plays as hard as anybody I have seen in three years,

(44:51):
and listen, I've seen some kids. He just is totally
fearless when it comes to contact and he plays through
it and he's just a off more so, I I
have high hopes for that kid, like he's he's he's
got he's got some what's the word, he's got some juice.
And now the question is what we're going to see
from him and what we're gonna see for the rest
of this team moving forward. Really impressed with the Hawks,

(45:14):
uh and and that level of effort, that level of
sort of fearlessness with contact. You have to have that
on the team in any instance because games get physical,
and I mean, I think you pointed it out to
me multiple times that man, there's been more than a
few games during these Regional Voice tournament that have gotten
really physical because referees come in from out of the area.

(45:36):
They call it just a little bit differently. A lot
of them they're calling it by the book. They're calling
it a little bit, a little bit tighter or a
little bit looser, I should say, where they're letting guys
get physical. You have to have that late in the season.
I think the Hawks may very well have that in
Adam Marple.

Speaker 4 (45:50):
There's no doubt Marple makes his play his teammates better,
and he also makes them play harder because if if
you don't match his intensity, he makes you look so
even when you're tired, when you're exhausted, when the game's
late and you don't have much left in the tank,
you either pick up the pace or he's going to
dust you. And I mean he gets down the floor,

(46:10):
He runs the floor and makes big men on the
other team and try to stay with him. How many
times do we see him get behind defenses in fast
break opportunities and get easy buckets just from his sheer
hustle alone. And that's the kind of effort that is contagious.
It makes everybody better. And that's what I like about him.
And how about Joseph Finstenbacher, who ran the floor. He

(46:32):
made a couple plays in the open court. We saw
him catch a ball around around the foul extended on
a fast break with two steps, no dribble, got to
the basket. That was a move that I don't see
upper class and make. And you're talking about a freshman who,
in my opinion, if he works as hard as he can,
I think he might be one of the best that
we're going to ever see from this area. That's my

(46:53):
belief in.

Speaker 2 (46:54):
The well and you've introduced me to that family and
knowing how deeply ingrained in the sport of basketball they are.
I've got to imagine that he's all in. So it's
it's I think it's exciting times in the future for
South Harrison. They've obviously got work to do, but I
think the end of the season strong finish against Tigerts Valley.
A lot of times this year they played a number

(47:15):
of tournament teams, you know, other than Dodgridge County, who
I did think handled them pretty well. You know, they
didn't get blown out by Richie County. They played Richie
County tough twice, in fact, really tough once at home,
once on the road. So impressed with that. We are listen,
we're a little bit tight on time, so real quick,
West Virginia Wesley and I wanted to get just like
one minute of talk on them. In The women's team

(47:37):
obviously went down in the in the first round of
the or the I guess technically the second round. They
had to buy in the first round, but the second
round of the MEC tournament, their season comes to an end.
Men's team season comes to an end, but really strong
building block for the women's team, and I got to
think that that they have made serious strides that we're

(47:57):
going to see next year after picking up a a
two seed in the conference tournament this year, that this
is sort of just the beginning for them.

Speaker 4 (48:05):
Coach Vincent and his assistant coach Fince Deenmacher a great
job this year piecing together a team that was expected
to be near the bottom of the conference. They're gonna
lose some big pieces though, is Lojanelfatiri Shelby, Jennis Desiree,
Roy Daviana Hatschwall all graduate. They're gonna have to fill
those voids. But they've got some good players coming back,
Emma Witt, who finished the season number fourteen in Division

(48:29):
two basketball and scoring returns. And they've got some other
players like super sophomore Sydney Baird from Western Springs. She
had another great year this year. They've got some good pieces.
They just got to pick up a few more and
they're gonna be in good shape. Coach Flown on the
men's side, loses Alex Mersini and aj Crosby. He's also
got some good guys coming in a nice recruiting class

(48:50):
as well, So look for the Bobcats to be in
good shape both with the women and the men's teams
next year.

Speaker 2 (48:56):
Very good, Bill. It's hard to believe we have come
to the end of the row here, end of the season.
We start switching gears into into baseball and into our
our spring spring coverage here. But we're gonna treat spring
a little bit differently this year. So I have some plans.
I'm not going to reveal those right now, but I
just want folks to know we're not gonna wait until
August or July to talk to Bill again. But that's

(49:20):
all I can say for now.

Speaker 5 (49:21):
Bill.

Speaker 2 (49:22):
Thanks for all the hard work you do though during
the main portion of this seven month stretch here. This
is obviously you know these seven months in many ways, uh,
they are our super Bowl. From from August the start
of football season to the end of the regional finals.
These are the biggest seven months, uh, that that we have.
And it's just the show is better off for having

(49:44):
you and and Craig and and all the others who
up out. And I really thank you for your help
this year.

Speaker 4 (49:49):
Alex. I tell you, I thank you because you know
doing People ask me all the time, you know, what,
why are you doing all kinds of games? Well, I
love the sport and I love being able to do
Coller with you on sounth Harrison is re ener joshed
me because it takes me back to my days as
a former coach. It's about the details of the game
and being able to work with you. What a great
job you do. People don't understand the amount of effort

(50:11):
it takes to do what you do with this show.
It is a ton of work. You make it look effortless.
Thank you for letting me be a part of it.
Have a great rest of the show and a great
weekend as well.

Speaker 2 (50:21):
Awesome thanks Bill, Much appreciated man. Like I said, we'll
be talking with you sooner than you probably think. Much
appreciated man, Thank you so much.

Speaker 4 (50:29):
Jokes.

Speaker 2 (50:29):
All right, that's Bill Nester, play by play voice of
OURCB and West Virginia Wesley and also has been helping
out with South Harrison and did that Doddridge Liberty game
as well. All Right, we've got to hit a break.
Travis Jones coming up on the other side to talk
about what's going on in Charleston at the girls State tournament,
and we'll talk some mec well it's more specifically we'll
talk to some Fairmont State as the Fairmont State Fighting

(50:50):
Falcons are headed to West Liberty on the men's side,
headed to Edinburgh on the ladies' side, and the women's
team actually in action this evening. We'll chat all about
that coming up.

Speaker 1 (51:00):
Now back to the Dan Cavatoyota Wick GMC Friday Free
for All on one three three w KMZ.

Speaker 2 (51:07):
All right, we are back in the studio Alex Sweeterspiel
here on the Friday Free for All brought to you
by Dan Kevitz at b A GMC and Travis Jones
on the line with us from Charleston right now.

Speaker 4 (51:16):
Good morning, sir, Good morning.

Speaker 2 (51:18):
How are you good? And loving some basketball again? This
is you can't ask for a better time of year.
The nexus of everything happening, girls tournament, boys regionals, conference
tournament action and Division one and Division two. Now the
NSAA Division two tournament getting underway. It's an awesome time.
This is the absolute nexus of basketball. It's fantastic. And

(51:39):
you've gotten some pretty good games in Charleston, some better
first round games than I think we're always accustomed to
seeing this time of year. Is things can get a
little lopside in some of those one eight, two seven games.
Sometimes in the four classification system. They've been a little
better this year. And then even an upset to speak
of as well, three ced Tucker County went down yesterday.
I want to get your make what your impression of

(52:00):
this tournament so far.

Speaker 6 (52:02):
Yeah, I think, as you said, little off script, which
has been good. You know, we've not had the you know,
we've had a couple of blowouts, but for the most
part and have some real competitive games. Four or five
games I think have been terrific, and that's what you're
looking for in this tournament, including you know, last night Cameron,
the most dominant program in Class single A here in

(52:23):
the last handful of seasons, trails for most of the game,
but finally in the fourth quarter able to overcome Pendleton
County and advance on and yesterday as well, we already
had the double A state championship game is set and
I don't know I've met matth to check. This might
be the first time that Charleston Catholic and Wheeling Central
have ever met girls basketball. I'm joking. This is probably

(52:46):
about the three hundred times they've met in girls basketball,
and they'll meet again for a state title tomorrow. Charleston
Catholic pulled the minor upset at least by the seatings
knocking off Saint Mary's, But even off of the seedings,
I think it was pretty big upset. Most people thought
that Saint Mary's might have had the inside track to

(53:06):
win the state championship at least get there and take
on a very good Wheeling Central team. But a wheeling
Central no such problem with James moon Roe. Last night,
eighty to forty nine was the final scores the Maroon
Rights roll into tomorrow morning championship game in Class Double A.
Of course, we'll set the rest of the championship game
schedule coming up today. It's all semi finals here. Got

(53:28):
two Triple a's, two Quad a's, and two single as
semi finals coming your way today from Charleston, getting underway
in about ninety minutes.

Speaker 2 (53:38):
Yes, and I wanted to touch base with you on
one of those games, in particular in Class Triple A
semi final set for one o'clock Grafton and Nitro. Grafton
still has not lost to a team in the state
of West Virginia, but this will easily be their toughest
test of the season so far.

Speaker 6 (53:55):
Thousand percent by far, toughest test and most likely the
most the best team that they have faced all season.
Nitro comes in twenty and four, but Nitro plays a
very very difficult schedule. They're also a very veteran group,
great head coach Pat Jones. So yeah, Grafton, this is

(54:18):
really the test that I think everybody's been waiting for
all season with this Bearcat team. But to their credit,
they've reached and they have exceeded all previous challenges. But
I think today at one o'clock, this one's a big one.
Grafton has a very difficult road to a state championship
for sure, and this semi final matchup coming up, not

(54:41):
taking anything away from Greenbrier East and Wayne, but if
they can knock off Nitro, then tomorrow could be interesting
for the Bearcats.

Speaker 2 (54:48):
All right, before we switch gearscuse, I wanted to ask
you a quick question about Fairmont State Men's and women's
but I did want to remind folks that all the
games are going to be on the station. Also a
reminder that you can watch the championship game tomorrow on
the Metro News TV app. Let's talk very quickly a
little Fairmont State men's and women's basketball. They are both
in action this weekend for the first round of the

(55:09):
NCAA Division Two tournament, with the women tonight in Edinburgh
they are a five seed. The men tomorrow night in
West Liberty, of course accustomed to playing there, they are
a five seed taking on Fayetteville State University. Give us
a quick word on each of these teams.

Speaker 6 (55:25):
Yeah, as you mentioned the women up in Edinburgh, PA,
outside of Erie. They get under way tonight, and when
you handicap that Atlantic Region tournament, I think the rest
of the field should be unhappy that Fairmont was only
a five seed, to be quite honest with you, because
I'm not so sure if they're not the best team
in that Atlantic Region. Time will tell, but I would

(55:46):
be very surprised if the women perhaps aren't playing on
Monday night for the right to go to the LEIT
eight and Division two women's basketball, which, by the way,
this year is actually in Pittsburgh. It's a Columbo Center
on the campus of Ducane University, So that will be
good for Fairmont State fighting Falcon fan. Should the NC

(56:06):
double or should the women's team from Fairmont State, who
went back to back NEC Tournament titles for the first
time in school history. So it's been a historic year
with these five graduate seniors in their lineup, so hopefully
they can make a deep run. And as you mentioned,
that starts this evening, and then of course the Fairmont
State men will kick off the Atlantic Region play at

(56:28):
West Liberty coming up tomorrow night at eight thirty is
the tip time approximately, it's the fourth of four games,
so it could be a little bit behind schedule, but
they'll take on Fayetville State, who was the favorite in
the CI Double A Conference but got upset in their
conference tournament, but still a very good team and a
lot of size athleticism, so that should be a good

(56:50):
challenge for Fairmont State tomorrow and at eight thirty at
West Liberty.

Speaker 2 (56:53):
Very good Travis Jones, thanks man, all right, thank you,
all right, folks. If you're interested, you can hear Travis today.
He'll be on the call for several games. And reminder
again that's starting at nine this morning with pregame coverage
for the entire first morning session with the first game
this morning starting at nine thirty. Also a reminder if
you want to go back the Friday freefra all this

(57:14):
is actually as good a time as any to remind
folks of this, the Friday Free for All, of course,
is in podcast form. We do this show live on
the radio, but we also we do a couple of
fun things. One, I streamline everything, so that's as close
to commercial free as it can be in podcast form.
And then two, the other thing that we do is

(57:34):
we often have bonus content. Now I'm not gonna lie
to you, we don't have any bonus content for you today.
Everyone's a little little busy. Everyone's wearing multiple hats during
this stretch of time. Like I said, there's why I
called it this is the nexus of basketball season. But
it's worth noting that we had an interview with hartzel
Kener earlier this season. The girls coach for graft In
High School, talked a little bit with him way back

(57:56):
when when Grafton was still unbeaten. Now, they did eventually
lose in a game against It's gonna bug me, I
want to say Southern Garrett. It was a Maryland school
they lost to right at the tail end of this season,
and they are that is their only loss. They're still
unbeaten in in state play. But worth checking that interview out.

(58:19):
I thought he had a lot of interesting things to say,
and you know, it's it's funny. I just I think
there's a common theme that you're gonna hear from every
really great coach and it starts with defensive play. And
that's really what it starts with in Grafton, is that
even if you're gonna you're you know, you're gonna build
offense out of defense, right, that's how you have to

(58:43):
do it. And they're really committed to strong defensive play.
So I'm excited to see what they do today. That's
gonna be a good one. I'm excited to see what
Fairmont State does tonight. That one I'm looking forward to
actually being able to sit down, relax watch that game
this evening without any without any distractions. That should be
a good one. The Falcons the Fairmont State women's team,

(59:03):
as Travis alluded to, I would say, as dangerous a
five seed as you're gonna deal with. And that team
has a reason to have a chip on their shoulder.
They were a game away. They won a game last
year at home and then lost in the final game
in region. Or let me rephrase that, they lost the

(59:25):
second game, So what going into you know, they had
a chance to go to the equivalent of the Sweet sixteen,
the regional championship, tight game into the fourth quarter and
just got away from them a little bit in that
one believe against I think I want to say it
was against Fayetteville State's women's team. But there's gonna be
a that's gonna be a hungry group. It's gonna be

(59:47):
a really really hungry group in Edinburgh this evening. So
gonna be some good basketball. Always always good seeing MEC
teams the D two level, really really strong level of play,
really enjoyable basketball. But in particular I know there's a
little bit of bias here, but THEMEC is a fun
brand of basketball, and you know, seeing them up against
some of the other conferences also, it's it's worth it's

(01:00:10):
worth checking out that much. I'll say, if you don't
have anything going on tonight, you may want to check
that out, whether in person, I mean, listen. It's a
pretty pretty long drive up to Edinburgh. It's like a
three hour drive from Fairmont straight due north though just
just literally go north. Or of course those games are available,
you can watch them. The MEC, I believe, is gonna
have a stream that they are feeding, so you'll be

(01:00:33):
able to be able to check that out. All right,
here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna go ahead and
take a break. Chris Johnson is coming up in just
a moment. My partner in crime is either on his
way to Charleston or may have already arrived. We'll find
out here. When I got on the phone with him
in a second, he told me you would be in transit,
So we'll find out where he is. We'll find out
where Chris is in the in the grand scheme of things.

(01:00:54):
But my usual co host, who's gonna be of course
out on assignment for these next few weeks, and of
course in particular next week with the Bridgeport Indians in
the state tournament and expected to potentially make a very
deep run in the boys side. I think he'll probably
be likely. He may very well be there until Saturday.
All that said, Actually he'd be there till Saturday anyway

(01:01:15):
because of his other work. But all that said, we're
gonna go ahead and take a break. This is the
Friday free for all, brought to you by Dan cavatoad
of you a GMC Back right after this.

Speaker 1 (01:01:23):
Back to the WKMC locker room for more high school
Sports on the Dan Cavatoyo w at GMC Friday Free
for All.

Speaker 2 (01:01:31):
This is the Friday Free for All brought to you
by Dan kavatud of you a GMC, Alex Wheeters peel
here with you. You know it's amazing to me. Just
a couple of years ago this was we didn't even
do this. This was a a football only show. And
our transformation into full high school sports show, sports show,
whatever you want to call it, is fully complete. And
Chris Johnson, my co host, is on the line with

(01:01:52):
us now where we can we can celebrate that together.
Good morning, sir, Good morning.

Speaker 5 (01:01:57):
How are you.

Speaker 2 (01:01:58):
I'm good, I've been I've been. So this is the
descriptor that I've been using to describe this because it
is actually if you're a basketball junkie there, I honestly
don't know that that like it's like you've died and
gone to heaven, right, because this is the the nexus
of all things basketball right now. You have and let's
just go from a West Virginia perspective, but you've got

(01:02:19):
girls tournament, boys regional it's going on. At the same time,
you've got conference tournaments at the Division I level. In college,
You've got the NCAA Division Two Tournament starting this weekend.
It is an incredible combination. And you if you're an
NBA fan, yeah, I get that's not quite as close
to the start of the playoffs, but they are post
trade deadline, I'm pretty sure at this point. So it's

(01:02:40):
an incredible time to be a basketball fan. If this
is your sport, this is mecca for you.

Speaker 6 (01:02:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:02:48):
No, I think you hit the nail on the head there,
you know, right time of year for basketball fans and
you know, I know, depending on the season, I kind
of you know, go back and forth with like, you know,
you know, what's you know, my favorite you know day
of the high school sports season, you know, because you know,

(01:03:10):
I love the state football championships. You know, we love
the first day of uh football season. Uh, you know,
I love the state track meet, but you know, state
basketball tournament. It's just there's just something about it, and
especially today, you know, and I know it's a little

(01:03:31):
different now that we're in a four class system, but
semi final Friday, it's just made it's tough to beat
semi final Friday, whether it's girls or boys, you know,
in you know, in Charleston. So uh yeah, what what
a great time of the year, you know, plus an't
on top of it, we've got your relatively nice weather,

(01:03:51):
so yeah, it's just it's just awesome right now.

Speaker 2 (01:03:54):
Yeah, this is I had forgotten semi Final Friday. Many
many people swear by this that this is the true
best day of the tournament. And in a lot of respects,
it makes sense because you have both a combination of
the best games but also the most possible best games,
if you will, Whereas on Championship Saturday you've only got
you know, in the past it was three. Now it's

(01:04:15):
obviously four, but you have double that amount of games,
or almost double that amount of games. I think there
are six games today. They're all fantastic when you go
down today's schedule. So I'm actually we haven't done this
yet on the show today. So let me go down
the schedule for everybody today. Here are the games in
the opening session this morning. It'll start with number three

(01:04:36):
Green Briar East in Class triple against number two Wayne.
That's the nine to thirty game. Immediately following it is
number one Spring Valley, Number five Saint Albans in Class squadruple,
a Spring Valley coming off I believe a blowout win
in their opener, and then in Class Triple A rounding
out the first session of games. We talked about this
a little bit earlier with Travis number four Grafton and
number one Nitro will be the biggest test of the

(01:04:58):
season for the Grafton Lady Bearcat. And then the evening
session you've got the juggernaut number one Gilmer County Titans
in Class Single A taking on no slouch Cameron Dragons
at five point thirty. That might be the game of
the day potentially. And then GW and Morgantown Class Quadruple
A semi final that's at seven fifteen. And the nightcap

(01:05:20):
Greenbrier West number six seed against tug Valley number two.
And what's really nice is it's nice to see a
couple of couple of lower seeds in there. We've had
a couple of upsets, we've gone off book a little bit,
But man, I gotta tell you Grafton, Nitro, Gilmer County Cameron.
It's not just because those are the two most relevant
for our region. Those might be the two best games
of the day.

Speaker 5 (01:05:41):
Oh yeah, if I can, I want to start with
you know, the Cameron Gilmer County game. You know, Gilmer
County's been the odds on favorite all year to be
the last team staying in Class A. But you know,
like you mentioned, I mean, Cameron's the three times any
state champions. And what I like about this matchup is

(01:06:04):
he's got two coaches in Holly Pettitt from Cameron and
Amy Chapman from Gilmore County that have, I strongly be
believe has established himselves as two of the very best
basketball coaches in this state. And you know, and you know,

(01:06:28):
there's some history you know between them, you know, Cameron
and Gilmer County matchups. So I'm really looking forward to
that first game in a second session.

Speaker 2 (01:06:37):
Yeah, no kidding, I think that's gonna be that does
have the potential to be the actual best game of
the day. Gilmour County blew out Notre Dame. Congratulations to
the Irish obviously forgetting there. That was always going to
be a tough draw for them. Gilmour County. I mean,
there's not one person I've spoken to this year who's
been like, boy, it just might be Gilmour County's year.
Well in a lot of respects We're gonna find out

(01:06:58):
today whether or not that's true, because obviously this is
there are few tests stiffer than this one against the
Lady Dragons. It's been an interesting tournament though. As we
were talking, I was talking this about this with Travis.
There have been a couple of games that have gone
off script. The Tucker County Mountain Lions, that's another one

(01:07:19):
into the three to six game, they get upset by
six seed Greenbrier West. Congratulations to Greenbriar West on getting
the win, but a tough end of the season for
Tucker County, but a couple of upsets there, and I think,
you know, it's interesting, Chris, I wonder if you know
there's an element of this is kind of what folks
were hoping for with this new regional tournament, that this

(01:07:40):
would be the way to get all the best teams
in Charleston and maybe potentially see a couple of actual
upsets because there'd be greater parody one through eight instead
of seeing you know, a seven or an eight seed
that really didn't have a chance. And in past years,
and we've seen that before, but that's not been the
case this year. Much tighter in Charleston there have been

(01:08:00):
some blots, but much tighter in Charleston than in years past.

Speaker 5 (01:08:04):
Yeah. Yeah. And the thing with the blowouts, you know,
there seems to be this idea out there is like
we need to figure out a way to avoid those,
and you know, if you think about it, I don't
know if that's ever going to be possible, because there's
always going to be elite teams really, no matter what
their seed is, that are just that much better than

(01:08:30):
their opponent. I mean, you like, well what you know,
you know Morgantown did in the first round. It's it's
not a reflection of how bad our first round opponent
is is, it's just how good they are. Uh, you know,
so yeah, I think we're getting It's still not perfect because,

(01:08:52):
like you know, on the girls side, you still have
you know, a Williamstown who is probably a top three
or four team in state not being able to get
down there because they were in the sane Uh. Your
reasonable with Williams sound Saint Mary's. But I mean you
go back to what it was, you know, fifteen twenty

(01:09:13):
years ago. I mean I think we're definitely making strides
to to get the eight best down there.

Speaker 2 (01:09:20):
Yeah. Yeah, but before we switch over to the boys
side of things because the full tournament field there is
now set. The one thing I wanted to note hadn't
talked about this with really anybody yet today. The probably
my biggest surprise so far. I was a little surprised
University against Saint Albans that was wound up being a blowout.

(01:09:40):
I thought University would put up a little bit of
a better fight in that one. In the four or
five game in Class QUADRUPLA, they lose seventy to forty eight.
That was the final game Wednesday night. And these are
the types of things that do kind of sometimes happen
in Charleston, though, especially in those four or five games
that you know, you don't always know whether it's an
issue of shooting, but a bit of a defensive collapse

(01:10:02):
for University. And I think that a little bit of
a statement there from Saint Albans. It's a really good
win for them.

Speaker 5 (01:10:07):
Yeah, oh definitely, And you know, we kind of forget
about it you're heading into the state tournament that then
you know, if you're there, you kind of seeing in person,
it's like there there is something to the the the
factor of just the stage of the event, and if

(01:10:30):
you haven't been in that situation before, it can take
a while to a jump. And you know, I wonder
if that's you know, kind of what happened in university.
It's just like you know, like you said, it's a
tough place to shoot. Uh, it's a completely different environment
than where you play most games, just because of you know,
the Pacific Center court being just so wide open and

(01:10:50):
there's really no no backgrounds. I mean, you've got wide
open faces behind you know, I mean you have a
handful of gym to have some seats behind the baskets,
but you know, nothing where there's like multiple levels and
so much ultimate you know, so much open space. I mean,
I think, you know, I think that's a huge factor

(01:11:13):
in it. You're both on the girls and the boys side,
and you know there's something too uh, teams who have
been there before, the comfortable player on that floor, in
that environment, on that stage, as opposed to the programs
that happened.

Speaker 2 (01:11:31):
Let's let's switch gears over to boys basketball. And obviously
a game that that you you saw a team that
you've been covering all season, the Bridgeport Indians. If there
was any doubt about how ready these guys, are I
feel like they put it out last night. They didn't
have a great start to that game. But boy, for
a team that didn't start particularly well, they still somehow

(01:11:52):
only allowed nineteen points in a regional final matchup Bridgeport. Defensively, again,
they're just lot right now and they get the win
and they're on route to Charleston as the number one
seed next week.

Speaker 5 (01:12:06):
Yeah, you think about like they have played two postseason
basketball games. In the third quarter of each game they
have allowed two points, you know, and to be fair,
they haven't allowed you very many more points in the
fourth quarter. But coach Dave Marshall has always said that

(01:12:28):
how you start in that third quarter is like the
most pivotal part of a basketball game. And well, his
team's really buying into that right now, because I mean,
even go back to the opener against against Berkeley Springs.
They that two points stay allowed came with pointy one
seconds left in the third because they almost pitched the shutout,

(01:12:51):
you know, over an eighth minute stretch. You And the
thing is, you play defense like that, that's going to
help you overcome like any other like issues you may
be have in the game. Here, maybe you're not shooting
the ball. Well, you know, last night is a case
they you know, they turned the ball over a little
bit more than what they're used to in the first half.
And you know, they there were three of ten from

(01:13:13):
the foul line in the first half. There are things
you don't usually see from them. But that type of
defense keeps you in a game until you can get
out of you know, you're funk or you know, with
a couple of other issues. And man, I just We've
been saying it all year. It's just they this team

(01:13:33):
is just built to continue to go on a run
this season. And you know, and it's not gonna be
easy for him. You know, they they pay in the
first round of Elkins that has played better and gave
them some fits for times in the regular season meeting.
And then you you win that, and then you got

(01:13:55):
a rematch between or you got a potential rematch with
Fairmont Senior to Bridge Sport has beaten twice this year.
But it's still Fairmont Senior, It's still March, it's still Charleston.
You know, that's a I mean, I can think of
a lot of other teams I would rather play than
Fairmount Senior. And you know, in the state tournament, you know,

(01:14:17):
and p us you know, Chapmanville has plenty history of
success down there. I really like this, you know, this
triple A field, but I think Bridge Sport had the
best resume and earned that number one spot, you know,
for a reason. And I'm really looking forward to seeing
what they can do down there next week. So yeah,

(01:14:41):
and I don't know if we touched on this, uh
uh with Chris earlier or not, but I think a
cool factor about Bridgeport going down there, and like I
said that, they got to win three games, you know,
gonna have to.

Speaker 7 (01:14:59):
You know, earned that.

Speaker 5 (01:15:01):
But and I don't want to drink some I definitely
don't want to drink coach Marshall. But from the research
I am done, if Bridge Sport is able to win
the state title, Dave Marshall will be just a third
coach in the history of the state to win both
a girls basketball state championship and a boys basketball state championship.

(01:15:24):
So that's that's a pretty good accomplishment for someone who
I think is you know, one of the very best
in the state.

Speaker 2 (01:15:33):
No kidding, Let's let's talk a little bit about you know,
Bridgeport plays on that first day of the tournament, and
as as has been alluded to a couple of times,
they have a pretty decent slot because that should give
folks a reasonable amount of time to get down to Charleston.
They played seven to fifteen in the fifth game of
the sixth game day on the first day, Tuesday, March eighteenth.

(01:15:57):
But that's actually a great day you look at it,
north central West Virginia, very heavy representation for both the
Big Ten and the region as a whole. Dodgerge County
playing in the first game, Fairmont Senior in the second game,
Richie County in the third game, then Bridgeport and Elkins
in the fifth game. So a lot of great representation
that day and some some great opportunities. So we're gonna

(01:16:18):
find out that Fairmont Senior Chapmanville question is going to
get answered very early for us. They played eleven fifteen
on the first day of the tournament.

Speaker 5 (01:16:28):
Yeah, uh yeah, we hit what a what a great
Uh had two teams that you know, one state championships
you know frequently uh in the past couple of years. Uh,
you know, different classifications. Uh, but uh, you know, man,

(01:16:49):
you know Fairmount Senior Chapmanville. Man, there's some history there.
You know, they've met before for state titles, you know, so, uh, yeah,
it's definitely that. I mean, that's a marquee. Uh, there's
a good work for us, the marquee first round matchup.

Speaker 2 (01:17:06):
Yeah, that's gonna be a that's gonna be a really
good one. Reminder, folks, in about twelve minutes ish, we're
gonna be talking with Doddridge County head coach Paul Burnside
uh and Doddridge County leads off the action on Tuesday.
We've actually had him on the show once before, earlier
this season, back when it didn't seem like we were
going to ever play another game of basketball again. It's

(01:17:26):
kind of hard to believe we're finally here. We made
it here and there were no delays getting here in
the process after basically three weeks without basketball.

Speaker 5 (01:17:34):
Chris, Oh, yeah, that's almost seems like a lifetime ago
now does.

Speaker 2 (01:17:41):
Yeah, I didn't know that we were I didn't know
that we were gonna make it.

Speaker 5 (01:17:44):
Yeah, I think I remember making the joke because like, well,
I mean, the state tournament's gonna be awesome this year
when we finally get it in in June. So weather,
it's cooperated and we're a back on track.

Speaker 2 (01:17:57):
Yeah, how about they could do basketball in the baseball
tournament and simultaneously, Hey, really quickly before we before we
switch gears to anything else, I did I did want
to talk a little bit about in that class Triple
A Field RCB. Obviously you saw them a couple of
times this year against Bridgeport RCB gets in they have
a really tough first round draw. But credit to the

(01:18:18):
Flying Eagles there in we talked with Bill Nester earlier
on the show. Uh, and they're in taking on Shady Spring.
That's obviously a tough matchup. But they're going to be
in the seven to fifteen game on Wednesday night, so
chance for the fans to get down there as well.
But uh, it's that is a that is a tough
first round matchup. They're gonna have their work cutout for them.

Speaker 5 (01:18:39):
Yeah, but you go back to the start of the season.
I mean I clearly remember us talking about how this
is such a good, young, talented team and they've got
a chance to maybe you get down with Charleston and
here they are. I mean, what what a great experience

(01:19:03):
learning experience this is gonna be for a team that,
like we know we keep saying over and over is
very very young. Now going up against a team that
is uh no stranger uh to being the last team
standing down the area. I saw last night too that
uh Katie Spring has actually one five consecutive Region three championships.

(01:19:30):
I mean, that's pretty impressive considering the level of basketball.
Uh you know down in Region three. You know, let
load of what they have went on and done at
the the UH state tournament level. So yeah, a tough matchup.
But you know, I talked earlier about sometimes the stage

(01:19:50):
is uh you see a lot of like deer headlights
out there. You know, they're not used that environment. But
sometimes you get just the right a team that's just young,
and it's almost like they're they're they're too young to
even let that bother them.

Speaker 6 (01:20:06):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (01:20:06):
So maybe that's the case with it with this RCB team.
But I think this is a group of players that
is going to take a lot from this experience and
and and maybe they don't advance past Wedsday, but they're
there a lot of schools and would trade places with
them here throughout the state. And uh, it's just going

(01:20:29):
to make this team better, you know, coming in the
next year. As well.

Speaker 2 (01:20:32):
Yeah. Uh, exciting bunch of games on the schedule there,
and we'll we'll be talking about them, I'm sure in
greater detail next week. Before I let you go, I
was kind of curious and I should have asked you
this when we were talking more in depth about the
girls side of things. But let's let's wrap here because
this is good anyway. This is the championship discussion. So

(01:20:53):
obviously one game is already set. I'm sure folks are
very excited for Wheeling Central Catholic and Charleston Catholic. That's
going to be the first game Saturday morning. And of
course a reminder, you can both hear all these games
right here on WKMZ, or you can watch the game
if you're in the comfort of your own home. If
you're not going down to the tournament, you can actually
watch them on the Metro News TV app. What matchups

(01:21:15):
you know going through the semi finals today? What matchups
would you be most excited to see coming up on
Saturday in the championship round.

Speaker 5 (01:21:26):
Oh man, that's a tough, tough question.

Speaker 2 (01:21:32):
Well, so so let me give you so I'll tell
you what's the one we'll know about first is Class
Triple A because the first game is Greenbrier East Wayne
and the third game of the day is Grafton Nitro.
So by about two thirty this afternoon, we will know
of those four teams Nitro, Wayne, Greenbrier East and Grafton,
who is advancing, what's the what's your preferred matchup there?

(01:21:53):
If you're picking just from pure watchability in class Triple A.

Speaker 5 (01:21:58):
And Wayne Nitro state title game could be very very interesting.
But you know, I think, I mean, you know, it
would be considered an upset and Grafton knocks off and
defending state champion Nitro. But a social game. I mean,

(01:22:18):
Grafton didn't lose, hasn't so far as Sharon Grafton's lost
one game, and it wasn't to a school for West Virginia. So, uh,
Grafton really a really really good number four seeds, you know.
And then you know Greenbrier East Man they looked really
good in the first round and you know, I mean
they got the power of baby dogs you know behind them.

Speaker 4 (01:22:39):
Well, so.

Speaker 5 (01:22:43):
Yeah, man, I want to say the easy pick is
Nitro Wayne, but I mean I could see either uh
their semi final opponents finding a way to win this game.
I mean it's a great semifinal rounds for class trip away.

Speaker 2 (01:23:02):
Yeah, in quadruple A will know this one second, as
they are the the eleven fifteen and the seven to
fifteen game. So Spring Valley, it would seem like the
obvious answer is Spring Valley Morgantown. But I will say this,
Saint Albans with that huge win over University worth keeping
an eye on. So Spring Valley st Albans in the

(01:23:22):
in the first game, and then Morgantown GW in the
second game your preferred matchup to watch on Saturday between
those four.

Speaker 5 (01:23:30):
Yeah, again, like you said, you look at the top
two seats, Morgantown and the Spring Valley, it seems like
they're on a collision course. But Saint Albans, you know,
pressive win against University. They've got there's so much talk
about like elite players, but Mortytown with Kaylee Kellogg Todaya Jones,
and Spring Valley's got Allie Daniel, Sophie Hutchinson. But you know,

(01:23:56):
you look at some of the players on those other
two teams here Jclt from Saint Albans, one of the
best players in the state, Dry Pryor from h G
W maybe had the best first round. Uh you know
performance and you know any player in the state. Uh So,
you know, both of those schools have like elite Player

(01:24:18):
of the Year candidate type players. But uh, I think
it may be a depth issue in both games. That's
I mean Spring Valley's is just loaded, you know, uh,
up and down their bench and you know, mortar talent,
you know, playing a lot of really I mean, it

(01:24:39):
feels like we've been talking about you know, Katley catalog
for for for for years now. She's she's just a sophomore.

Speaker 6 (01:24:45):
Ye, so.

Speaker 5 (01:24:48):
You know what's Dry Pryor from g W just a
sophomore as well. So a lot of really good talent,
uh in in these two matchups, a lot of really
good gung talent in these matchups.

Speaker 2 (01:25:00):
In Class single A Gilmour Cameron in the one four
we talked about a little bit the two six Tug
Greenbrier West, Greenbrier West of course upsetting Tucker County, and
I don't think there's a matchup that I wouldn't like,
But there is an argument. Listen, nothing against Tug Valley.
They're a fantastic team and they would you know, if
they win it all. They will absolutely deserve it. But

(01:25:21):
there's an argument to make that the Gilmourt Cameron game
has a little bit of a feel of a championship
game already. But do you have a preferred matchup of
these four teams that you'd want to watch on Saturday?

Speaker 4 (01:25:34):
Oh?

Speaker 5 (01:25:34):
Man, you know, so they've already pulled off what many
would consider an upset. It would be kind of cool
to see at Gilbert County Green Brier West matchup. You know, yeah,
you know Pressley tread White leading the way for Green
Brier West.

Speaker 4 (01:25:53):
Man.

Speaker 5 (01:25:54):
You know, of course, you Ally ellis in the dynamic
point guard for uh Gilmour County, And there's interesting mashups.
But I just feel like the four classes, I think
Gilmour County is still the oddsorn favorite, uh the window classification.

(01:26:19):
This team is just built differently than most teams. They
got one of the best point guards in the state,
and they got at least three big athletic Moost players.
They can run the flour and and you and they
and they've got an incredible you know, perimeter shoot in

(01:26:39):
Tasemeyer out there. I mean, this team, I mean, it's
still just high school basketball, but just I don't see
a weakness with this Gilbert County team.

Speaker 2 (01:26:50):
Yeah, no, everyone I've talked to has said pretty much
the same thing. It's just it feels like their years.
So we're gonna see, uh if the Cameron Dragons have
anything to say about that. Chris, save travels down to Charleston.
I know you're gonna be there for a while because
of the boys tournament next week as well, So save
travels and look forward to talking with you next week.

Speaker 6 (01:27:12):
Man.

Speaker 5 (01:27:13):
Yeah, everyone's for my mail to Charleston.

Speaker 2 (01:27:16):
Right exactly, exactly? Yeah, yeah, all right, very good man.
Hopefully we'll be talking about a Bridgeport semi final game
next time we chat.

Speaker 5 (01:27:26):
All right, it sounds good. Let's uh, let's hope so well.
Not only not only that, but we got the potential
for an all big ten conference.

Speaker 2 (01:27:37):
That we do that we do very good. Could be
some Bridgeport Fairmont Senior action. Chris, We'll talk with you then.

Speaker 5 (01:27:42):
All right, man, sounds good, all right.

Speaker 1 (01:27:44):
See you, Chris.

Speaker 2 (01:27:45):
That's right. Next week would be semi final Friday when
we talk again. So all right, on that note, let's
go ahead and hit a break. We're expecting to hear
from Paul Burnside in just a moment, so we'll go
ahead and get a break going and get him queued up.
This is the Friday Free for All, brought to you
by Dan cavetot of you, a GMC coverage of the

(01:28:05):
state tournament back underway, coming up at nine o'clock this morning.

Speaker 1 (01:28:11):
Time for more high school sports talk on the Dan
Cavatoyo w a GMC Friday Free for All.

Speaker 2 (01:28:18):
Alex Wheeters Bill here with you on one of the
three three WKMZ for the Friday Free for All and
capping off the show today, we've got the head coach
of the Doddridge County Bulldogs boys basketball team, Paul Burnside,
is on the phone with us for the second time
this year. Coach, thanks for doing.

Speaker 5 (01:28:33):
This again, Thanks for having me.

Speaker 2 (01:28:35):
Well, congratulations. That was a great game on Wednesday. I
felt very, very privileged that I got to be at
that game. It was obviously a really big deal for
both programs, and through three quarters it was a heck
of a basketball game. And in the fourth, you guys
really locked down defensively. And I know we talked a
little bit with you during the pregame coverage, but I mean,

(01:28:57):
what can you say about your guys and the effort
that they put forward in that fourth quarter, because it
says a lot to me about a program when when
the chips are down at their biggest to see players
come out and do kind of what they're not only
expected to do, but what they need to do to
get the job done and to see it done defensively,
whether certainly we know there's not as much glory rights

(01:29:20):
as in big time scoring, but they did it. They
locked down liberty, held them to four points when at
a time when the Mountaineers had a lot of momentum,
held them to four points in the fourth quarter. I
don't know that there's enough praise to go around for
what you guys did defensively in that at that point
of the game.

Speaker 7 (01:29:35):
Well, well, first of all, we want to thank our savor,
Jesus Christ for giving us the opportunity to play the
game that we love and for you know.

Speaker 5 (01:29:44):
The ability to.

Speaker 7 (01:29:45):
Coach these guys, these young men, and you know, hats
off to them for just like you said, digging in
and you know, locking down defensively. And usually when we're
playing that good of defense, it helps create offense for us,
and that was the case again in the fourth quarter
the other night.

Speaker 2 (01:30:05):
Yeah, really really seemed that way, And so now I
guess the question is, you know, I know, obviously you're
off for a little bit, but in kind of a
good way. I guess you also wind up being the
first game first day. You don't have to do too
much waiting compared to some of the other teams who
may wait to play quarter final action until Thursday. You
guys are actually the first game of the entire tournament

(01:30:26):
coming up on Tuesday. I guess I should ask you
this more than me being what's the word I'm looking
for me elaborating on it. How do you feel out
being game number one?

Speaker 7 (01:30:39):
We talked at the beginning of the year and our
goal was to be a part of the state tournament,
and we weren't worried about seeding or when we would play,
what time of day. We've played games different times of day,
not quite as early as what we'll have to on Tuesday,
but we've played earlier day games, We played late night

(01:31:02):
games and everything, and tried to have prep for those
type of situations. But we just feel very blessed with
the opportunity to represent our school and our community in
the state tournament. In double A this year, and we're
just looking forward to the opportunity on Tuesday morning.

Speaker 2 (01:31:21):
Very good, and then Coach, last question for you. Obviously,
this is a return trip for you guys. Everyone talks
about it. I mean it's almost a cliche at this point.
How important experience in that building is. Is that something
that you subscribe to.

Speaker 7 (01:31:36):
It's definitely something that cannot be overlooked. Last year was
the first time we had made it eighteen years, and
the Good Lord's blessed us with a return trip this year,
and most of my guys were on that team last
year and got to experience that. So I'm not going
to say that it's not important, but we try.

Speaker 5 (01:31:58):
To just stay focused.

Speaker 7 (01:31:59):
Almost going to happen between the lines.

Speaker 2 (01:32:01):
Very good, Hey, Coach, much appreciated. We're up against it
since we've got state coverage of the of the semi
final Friday coming up. Any games you're planning on listening
to or gonna maybe watch tomorrow, or you focused entirely
on game prep, you know, I.

Speaker 7 (01:32:18):
Like to take breaks from game prep, so I might
have might have the Metro news coverage on in the
background for noise. But yeah, definitely we've got to give
our focus to west Side, who is a very good program.

Speaker 2 (01:32:29):
Yes, yeah, absolutely, six to three game in Class Double
A opens the tournament. Coach, much appreciated. Congrats again, thank
you so much.

Speaker 5 (01:32:37):
We appreciate your covers.

Speaker 2 (01:32:38):
Yeah, very good, very good coach. Paul Burnside, head coach
of Doddridge County and big win for them again. That
was fifty four to thirty six over Liberty. Exciting, exciting
game on Wednesday night. Was enjoyed covering it all right, folks,
we got to get out of here. I can't believe
we rolled through this thing, man, We really did roll

(01:32:58):
through two hours of two hours of coverage, very very fast.
Thank you to all the guests who popped on today.
We heard from Chris George in a very rare at
the very top of the show. Heard from Chris George,
heard from Bill nest Or, heard from Travis Jones. Chris Johnson,
my typical co host, joined me on our last segment there,
and then Paul Burnside, head coach of Doddridge County jumping

(01:33:21):
on as well. Congrats to all the coaches, Congrats to
all the players, and congrats to everybody who's still fighting
for a championship right now. On the girls side as well.
Looking forward to seeing how it all shakes out. Amazing
games set for today. Everybody raves about semi final Friday.
You can go check them out. The full schedules at
wv metronews dot com and the full coverage is starting

(01:33:42):
momentarily on this station. Check out the podcast of this
show on the spreak wrapper at your preferred podcasting platform.
See you next week.

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