Video: Off-the-backboard dunk
See what Capital pulled off in a game last season - it's pretty amazing.
2016-17 West Virginia preseason high school boys basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard
1. Capital (Charleston)Head coach: Matt Greene
2015-16 record: 25-4
Capital went down the hard way last season, losing in double overtime to Parkersburg in the WVSSAC 3A quarterfinals despite a heroic performance by senior Miguel "Crunchy" Bays (26 points, 18 rebounds). Bays is gone, but second-year coach Greene has senior guard
Leondre Rogers (13.0 ppg) to call on, while one of the team's strengths of a year ago - its bench - will be playing an even more prominent role.
Anthony Pittman, a 6-foot-4 junior forward, and 6-3 sophomore guard
Kerry Martin are being counted on for big seasons.
See the MaxPreps West Virginia boys basketball computer rankings, presented by the Army National Guard
2. Woodrow Wilson (Beckley)
Head coach: Ron Kidd
2015-16 record: 24-3
It's been eight years since Woodrow Wilson last won a state title, practically an eternity for this storied program. The Flying Eagles reached the WVSSAC 3A semifinals a year ago and are ready again to make a serious playoff run. Senior guards
Isaiah Francis and
Cortney Walton and junior guard
Ty Walton all have a year of experience under Kidd after transferring in before the 2015-16 season. Cortney Walton, however, suffered a torn ACL in a summer league game and is expected to miss the season. Other veterans include senior forwards
Tarek Payne,
Breland Walton and
Brenton Walton, plus junior guards
Eddie Christian and
Michael Penn.
See the MaxPreps West Virginia boys basketball stat leaders
3. MorgantownHead coach: Dave Tallman
2015-16 record: 27-0
Morgantown has a tough act to follow after going undefeated in 2015-16
and winning its first WVSSAC 3A title. But Tillman - 47-5 in his first two
seasons with the Mohigans - will attempt to reload with guard
Nicky Solomon
(12 ppg, team assist and rebounding leader), guard
Torin Hanson, forward
Deon Agnew, center
Nick Malone and guard
Jayron Wilson.
"We graduated a lot of
key guys," Tallman said. "However, we have two of the best guards in
the state returning in Nicky Solomon and Torin Hanson. This year's
success will depend on the leadership of our returning guys, in addition
to the development of our juniors and strong sophomore class. We've had
a strong off-season and I'm looking forward to coaching these great
young men."
See the MaxPreps West Virginia boys basketball photos
4. HuntingtonHead coach: Ron Hess
2015-16 record: 27-2
The Highlanders are expecting big things again this season after reaching the WVSSAC 3A final in 2015-16 for a third-straight year. Tavian Dunn-Martin, a University of Akron recruit, and J.R. Howard are gone, but Hess has plenty of talent to counter with as Huntington seeks to keep its recent string of postseason successes alive. Only a 65-62 overtime loss to Morgantown last March stands between the Highlanders and three consecutive state championships.
See the MaxPreps West Virginia boys basketball playoff brackets
5. MartinsburgHead coach: Dave Rogers
2015-16 record: 21-5
Jessiya Villa (17.0 ppg last season) and
Devonte Redman (6.2 ppg) head a returning group of veterans that enjoyed a mostly successful season in 2015-16. Two of Martinsburg's three in-state losses were to undefeated Class AAA champ Morgantown, while two other outside defeats came against national preseason No. 1 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) and Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore) at the 'Iolani Prep Classic in Honolulu. The 17.7 ppg and 5.8 rpg of Jarrell Jones will be missed.
