Ripley’s Hunt makes Class AAA all-state
HUNTINGTON — Capital point guard Leondre Rogers was known as the closer for the Cougars during the 2016-17 season.
In a close late-game situation, Rogers was the one who was counted on to make plays down the stretch that led Capital to avoiding any team’s upset bid.
Rogers’ cool head under pressure and ability to make plays when they counted the most were reasons that he was chosen as the captain of the W.Va. Boys Basketball Class AAA All-State Team, as voted on by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
“Rogers is such a special player,” Huntington High coach Ron Hess said. “It’s hard to stop him an entire game.”
Few teams were able to do so as Rogers led the Cougars to a 23-5 record and the Class AAA championship, where they fell to Huntington, 50-42.
Rogers finished the season averaging 15 points, 5.9 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game.
Perhaps the play that best defines Rogers came in this year’s state semifinals when he helped will the Cougars to a late comeback against Morgantown.
Trailing by four with 30 seconds left, Rogers got to the rim for a three-point play that pulled Capital within one and turned momentum. After his deflection forced a tough angle on an out-of-bounds play, Capital got a steal and layup that helped them to the win that led them to the Class AAA championship game.
Against Huntington, Rogers nearly did the same, scoring four straight points to pull the Cougars within five after trailing by as many as 11 in the fourth. However, the Highlanders were able to find the answer down the stretch for the win.
A big part of that answer for Huntington was junior Mikal Dawson, who was also named to the Class AAA first team after averaging 21.1 points and eight rebounds per game this season.
Dawson, who was recently offered by Marshall head coach Dan D’Antoni, took his game to another level in the state tournament, averaging 26.6 points and eight rebounds while scoring at least 25 points in all three games to lead the Highlanders.
With the Class AAA championship on the line, Hess wanted Dawson to take control of the ball for the Highlanders.
“When he’s on the floor, he’s the best player on the floor,” Hess said. “He can take over games, and I think he knows that.”
The mark of elite teams is that they have an elite player to serve as the leader, and such can be seen with this year’s first team. Of the eight first-team selections, seven of the players showcased their talents at the Charleston Civic Center in the final week of the season.
The lone player who was named to the team without having been in Charleston was Ripley’s do-it-all point guard Jamison Hunt, who finished the year averaging 24 points, seven assists and six rebounds per game for the Vikings.
Morgantown’s Nicky Solomon, who led his team to the semifinals and a near-upset of Capital, averaged 18.7 points, six rebounds and four assists per game for the gritty Mohigans.
University’s Geoff Hamperian also led the Hawks to the semifinals as the post presence on a guard-oriented team. Hamperian averaged 16 points per game.
Musselman’s Cam Stephens carried the most impressive stat line of all the first-team selections, averaging a triple-double – 14.8 points, 4.9 assists and 10.2 rebounds – in leading the Applemen to the state tournament where they fell to eventual champion Huntington in the first round.
George Washington’s Justin Phillips was the engine that started things for the Patriots during the 2016-17 season, netting 18 points per game while also setting the tone defensively.
Martinsburg’s Corey Barnett rounded out the Class AAA first-team, averaging 16 points and eight rebounds per night for the Bulldogs.
Parkersburg South’s Cole Pants was named the captain of the second team. Plants contributed 14.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and three assists per game for Parkersburg South’s balanced attack.
Other members of the second team include Capital’s Anthony Pittman, South Charleston’s Tamon Scruggs, Woodrow Wilson’s Isaiah Francis, Morgantown’s Torin Hanson, University’s Ethan Ridgeway, Greenbrier East’s Seth Brown and Parkersburg’s Karson Snyder.
Huntington’s John Dawson was the captain of the third team, which included Spring Valley’s Chandler Stacy, George Washington’s Tracy Conliffe, Musselman’s Jake Stephens, Woodrow Wilson’s Breland Walton, University’s Kaden Metheny, Brooke’s Chris Yachini and John Marshall’s Gunner Thompson.