MORGANTOWN — As Dave Tallman and the Morgantown boys’ basketball team head out to do their holiday shopping, what they’re looking for can’t be bought in a store.
The Mohigans are searching for something they didn’t get in last season’s stocking — a state championship.
“We’ve been saying, ‘Never choose good when great is available,'” Tallman said. “That’s where our mindset is right now.”
MHS went 18-2 last year, with only one regular-season loss. The other defeat came in a one-point loss to George Washington on May 8 in the Class AAAA state championship game in Charleston.
“We’re trying to do everything the right way,” Tallman said. “We are pushing each other and challenging each other now so hopefully we have another opportunity to get to the state tournament. That’s a challenge in itself. Hopefully if we get there, we play well enough to advance and get to play on (championship) Saturday with a chance to win it.
“But that’s a long, long ways away. We have a lot of work to do to prepare for that moment. it’s not easy to win a sectional, let alone a state championship.”
The Mohigans last won a state title in 2016, going 27-0 — the first championship in MHS history. As a player, Tallman won a state title at Magnolia in 2000, with his father as head coach.
“Every year, you have to coach to your team,” Tallman said. “Every year is still a little bit different. We lost some big guys inside but we have some big guards and overall really talented guards, but it changes the way we play. Schematically, we have to do some things differently but there isn’t really a drop off.”
They lose four seniors from the 2020-21 state runner-up team: Cam Rice, Xavier Pryor, Luke Bechtel, and Carson Poffenberger. Bechtel and Poffenberger were selected to the Class AAAA all-state team. Bechtel averaged 12 points and five rebounds per game while Poffenberger averaged 12.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He is now playing at Shepherd.
With the loss of those sizeable players, Tallman said the Mohigans will be more guard-oriented this season. It will still be a veteran group with returning starters Brooks Gage and Alec Poland leading the way. Both seniors stand 6-foot-2 and each averaged 12 points per game last season.
Sophomore Sha-Ron Young will be the starting point guard. He will also be one of the hottest commodities in the state of West Virginia in the next few years. The 6-foot skilled ballhandler already has three Division 1 offers, one of which is from Radford, coached by former WVU standout Darris Nichols. His first D-1 offer came from Drexel, coached by Morgantown native Zach Spiker.
Young recently visited Miami (Ohio) and was also offered by Southeastern Louisiana.
Another up-and-coming player is Jalen Goins. Though he is a senior, Tallman has been impressed by his work ethic and desire to get better over the summer.
“He’s going to be our defensive stopper,” Tallman said. “Jalen has had a really good off-season of development offensively and defensively. He’s doing a great job.”
Juniors Cam Danzer and Brody Davis both stand at 6-foot-5 and are vying for the final starting spot along with fellow junior Dakoma Neal, who is coming off a standout football season. Neal is a bruiser at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, and is also one of the top three-sport athletes in the region, as he also plays baseball in the spring.
Tallman has also been impressed by senior Ethan Mara, calling him a “pleasant surprise,” as he is playing varsity basketball for the first time.
Though they hope to cut down the nets in Charleston, MHS did already have an undefeated feeling in mid-October by taking part in the Hoop Group High School Showcase in Manheim, Pa. The Mohigans took on some of the most talented squads on the east coast and finished the weekend 4-0, capped off by a 58-50 win against Archbishop Ryan from the highly regarded Philly Catholic League.
“We’re doing well and I like the way things are going,” Tallman said. “We’ve been practicing pretty well together so far this year. We’re getting them in shape and training them to go hard every second on the floor.”
Tallman is entering his seventh season at Morgantown. The Mohigans recently scrimmaged Robert C. Byrd at home and will open the regular season at Buckhannon-Upshur on Friday.
By MATTHEW PEASLEE
TWEET @DominionPostWV
