Basketball practice nears for Mountain State

Sauro, Fallon give thoughts on preparations for players and upcoming schedules

PARKERSBURG -- Basketball practice in the Mountain State officially begins on Monday and two area coaches are more than glad for that.

"Probably the highest number of kids we've had try out since I've been there," said Parkersburg South head boys coach Mike Fallon, who will conduct tryouts Monday and Tuesday inside the Rod Oldham Athletic Center.

"It's good to have and it's bad to have. It's good to have numbers, but it's hard when you have to cut kids, too. That's one of the hardest things to have to do."

Squads were able to start conditioning this past Monday and no one was more pleased than Williamstown boss Scott Sauro.

The Yellowjackets had the top seed for last year's Class A state tournament and were supposed to play No. 8 Tug Valley on March 19.

"It's going pretty well so far," Sauro said of conditioning. "We've had really almost 100% attendance. Our kids are out of shape. I'm assuming a lot of kids aren't in basketball shape right now.

"Obviously, it was a unique year. It's just tough to get into the proper kind of shape you want to be at this point in the year. We're going to get there. It's just going to take time."

Sauro said the 'Jackets are expected to have 18-19 players for both junior varsity and varsity.

Along with the "usual suspects you know who are returning and some guys who are coming up from JV last year we think can contribute, a couple guys came out who didn't play basketball last year that's going to contribute," said the coach.

"Trevor Oates, for example, he was a heckuva football player. He's come out for basketball this year and we're excited to see what he can bring to the table."

Fallon's Patriots, who earned the No. 7 seed for the Class AAA state tournament, were supposed to play No. 2 Martinsburg on March 18 in the quarterfinals.

"We have around 44," Fallon added. "It's (excitement) really high and the atmosphere is really good. They've worked hard, all four classes. We've got some hard workers I think from top to bottom. Probably the most talent we've had in a four class stretch, I think.

"I may be a little biased. I think for the next few years we got a chance to be really, really good if they stay together. This year, I think, it's going to be tough because we haven't had a lot of time to mix in."

That's also a major concern for WHS.

"For us, it's been 11 months," Sauro stated. "I think if you talk to any coach in the state they will tell you with an 11 month lull everybody is bored and doesn't know what to do. The fact that it's here and it feels real and our kids are going to get that reward of actually being able to play basketball, especially for the seniors.

"It feels great. Everybody in our program from me to our JV players are just thankful we are getting the opportunity to play. We know it's a sprint and not a marathon this year because we are getting so many games in during a short period of time. We don't even care.

We're thankful we are playing and happy we are playing."

Coach Fallon is also grateful to be back on the hardwood, but he's cautiously optimistic because he knows the Patriots' schedule is loaded.

"It's going to take some time," Fallon said.

"At the beginning of the year I think we'll struggle a little bit and come tournament time if we play our cards right I think things will fall in place. There's not too many gimmes in the pile.

"It (a tough schedule) makes you better. It really does. When we finished six-and-whatever (6-15 in 2019, won regional title) we lost eight or nine games by four, five points and we made Charleston because the kids were prepared for about anything."

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com