MYLAN PARK – On Saturday, head coach Dave Tallman and the defending class AAAA state basketball champion Morgantown High Mohigans hosted the first-ever Mylan Shootout.
Teams from twelve different high schools from all across the state, and from multiple classes, came to show what they’ve been working on in the offseason, both individually and as a team. Many schools brought multiple teams, including both varsity and junior varsity players.
28 games were played across five courts, all of which were under the same roof. The newly renovated facility at Mylan Park allows for multiple games to be run at once, all with their own scoreboards. This could be the first of many Mylan Shootouts, something Tallman and his team hope continues.
“We’re so appreciative of those who put together this great community center. It’s a beautiful place that will get a lot of use out of the youth,” he said. “Today was a great day of basketball and we can’t thank the staff at Mylan Park enough. We had 28 great games.”
For local schools MHS and University High, the shootout comes at the end of the three-week open period for athletics to practice over the summer, allowing coaches and players to play competitively against other schools and seeing what they have early on.
For MHS, losing three impact starters in Alec Poland, Brooks Gage, and Jalen Goins will require some of the younger Mohigans to make an impact, and the summer practice surely helps.
“It’s been a great three-week period for us. I’m really proud of my guys for going up against some great competition and playing well,” Tallman said of his team’s last few weeks together. “We’ve learned a lot about our team and feel we have a great plan leading us into the season.”
“It’s big for us,” said Tallman when asked about the importance of playing competitively during the offseason. “A lot of kids get individual instruction but it’s also important to play quality opponents so the team can develop as a whole.”
MHS played three games, winning all by handy margins over Woodrow Wilson, Fairmont Senior, and Capital.
For Tallman, coaching focus now shifts to the TBT basketball tournament and the Best Virginia alumni team where he is an assistant coach for James Long and the staff once again after joining the team last year.
With Best Virginia hosting another regional this year in Charleston, Tallman will return to the Coliseum and Convention Center, where he last earned his second state title as head coach of the Mohigans.
“I really like our team on paper,” he said of the Best Virginia alumni team. “I’m going to take a couple weeks to relax and then we’ll get after it. I’m appreciative to Kevin Jones, Greg Richardson, John Flowers, and James Long for all the time they put in. It’s great to be a part of it again.”
Best Virginia will tip-off its 2022 TBT tournament on July 24th at 7:00 p.m. All games will be televised on ESPN.
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