HURRICANE, W.Va — Last year, Hurricane was one of the surprises in Class AAA as the Redskins made their first ever appearance in Charleston for the state tournament in boys high school basketball. The Redskins have backed up that run from a season ago with a 16-6 record this year, as they look to make another deep run in the postseason.
“Hurricane wasn’t really known for basketball – last season helped change the attitude and it got the word out,” Hurricane coach Lance Sutherland said on MetroNews High School Sportsline. “People are starting to come out and our kids have been playing in front of packed houses almost every night.”
Sutherland had a couple of veterans leading the way last year, mixed in with some young talent that returned for this season.
“We had three starters coming back and our sixth man which really helped,” he said. “It allowed us to develop that leadership and team camaraderie we needed – we’re playing pretty well.”
As for the postseason, the Redskins are a combined 5-0 against the teams in their Section 1 out of Region 4 – a few of those wins, though, have been close battles with Point Pleasant (60-59) and rival Winfield (64-62 and 63-61).
“I think our section is wide open, I think anyone of the five teams can win it,” Sutherland said.
The Redskins will open up sectional play on Wednesday of next week against either Nitro or St. Albans. The winner moves on to face either Pt. Pleasant or Winfield in the sectional final.
Huntington, Spring Valley, Logan, Cabell Midland and Lincoln County all loom out of the opposing section in Hurricane’s region. The Redskins went 4-1 against those teams in the regular season, with a heartbreaking 50-48 road loss to Huntington.
“In the region I think that Huntington is up there, and then there is anyone of the rest of us,” Sutherland said.