POCA, W.Va. — Poca’s dominant 2014-2015 season went in the record books as the first unbeaten boys basketball champion in the state since 1987.
The Dots lost three senior starters from that team a year ago (Noah Frampton, Matt Chandler and Christian Buckley), but still returned several key pieces for this season, including junior standouts Elijah Cuffee and Luke Frampton who have played since they were freshmen.
“It was just a great experience and blessing to be a part of that team last year,” Cuffee said. “I feel like it was a calling from God just to have a great season last year. It was awesome.”
Of those 27 wins a season ago, the toughest to get came in the championship game as Poca trailed Fairmont Senior by 16 points with seven minutes to go in the second quarter. But after chipping and chipping away, the Dots eventually secured a 57-53 win over the Polar Bears for Poca’s first title since 1997.
“Nobody felt like we were going to lose,” Cuffee remembered. “Everybody was confident in the fact that we still had a chance to come back and win that game. There was no negative feeling throughout the team – everyone was positive and encouraging each other on the court.”
Since that 2015 championship run, Cuffee eventually committed to play for Liberty’s 2017 recruiting class.
“The relationship I had with their coaching staff – I felt it was meant to be. Every time I went up there, I felt like I was a part of the family,” Cuffee said. “The players also all interact really well. As soon as they offered me, I just thought it was the perfect fit. I felt like God was leading me there to do big things and just to be a light for him.”
This year’s Poca team has gotten off to a 5-2 start, recently returning from the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach where the Dots went 1-2 against schools from South Carolina and Georgia.
The Dots have still established themselves as the Class AA favorites once again with an early season win over Fairmont Senior, 60-53.
“Everyone is settling into their roles,” Cuffee said. “I think this year we are a little bit deeper than we were last year, as far as our team. We have more players coming off of the bench and I think that’s good – it gives us some rest that we couldn’t really bring onto the court last year. Everyone is still adjusting with their roles and we’ll have to see how it goes.”
Cuffee scored 21 points in that title game rematch with the Polar Bears, while Fampton added 18 points and senior Kaden Meeks scored 17 points. Meeks went 6 of 6 on the night, including five made 3-point shots.
“Coach has been getting on me and Kaden Meeks to be more vocal leaders off of the court and on the court,” Cuffee said. “Just being a leader, helping people out and communicating better. That’s one thing we have to start (doing better) to build that team chemistry.”
It’s been the combination of Cuffee and Frampton, though, that has helped put Poca back at the top of Class AA going back to their freshman season.
“Luke is confident – that’s one thing that I love about him right now,” Cuffee said. “He’s shooting the ball with major confidence and knocking them down. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him shoot it this well. Both of us have also been improving defensively this year, that’s been more of a role for us this year, having to guard better players.”
And while a perfect season won’t be achieved this year, the Dots will clearly have a target on their backs the rest of the way, looking for second straight Class AA title.
“We’re just going out to play every game the same way and to give it our best every game,” Cuffee said. “We’re taking every game seriously and approaching it with the mentality that we’re playing to win and to glorify God.”
The complete interview with Cuffee is posted below.
POCA 2015-2016 Boys Basketball Schedule |
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1 | 12/11/15 | 7:00PM | H – | NITRO | 76 | – | 50 | W |
2 | 12/15/15 | 7;00PM | H – | MINGO CENTRAL | 79 | – | 27 | W |
3 | 12/19/15 | TBDPM | A – | FAIRMONT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 60 | – | 53 | W |
4 | 12/22/15 | 7:30PM | A – | HURRICANE | 62 | – | 41 | W |
5 | 12/26/15 | TBDPM | A – | ST.FRANCIS,GA | 56 | – | 73 | L |
6 | 12/28/15 | TBDPM | A – | SOCASTEE,SC | 61 | – | 50 | W |
7 | 12/30/15 | TBDPM | A – | MULLINS,SC | 69 | – | 83 | L |
8 | 01/05/16 | 7:30PM | A – | SCOTT | – | |||
9 | 01/08/16 | 7:30PM | A – | CHAPMANVILLE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL | – | |||
10 | 01/12/16 | 7;00PM | H – | WAYNE | – | |||
11 | 01/16/16 | TBDPM | A – | TOLSIA | – | |||
12 | 01/19/16 | 7:30PM | A – | MINGO CENTRAL | – | |||
13 | 01/22/16 | 7;00PM | H – | SISSONVILLE | – | |||
14 | 01/29/16 | 7;00PM | H – | HERBERT HOOVER | – | |||
15 | 02/02/16 | 7;00PM | H – | CHAPMANVILLE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL | – | |||
16 | 02/09/16 | 7;00PM | H – | SCOTT | – | |||
17 | 02/12/16 | 7:30PM | A – | SISSONVILLE | – | |||
18 | 02/16/16 | 7;00PM | H – | HURRICANE | – | |||
19 | 02/20/16 | 7:30PM | A – | HERBERT HOOVER | – | |||
20 | 02/23/16 | 7:30PM | A – | NITRO | – | |||
21 | 02/25/16 | 7:30PM | A – | WAYNE | – | |||
wins: 5 lost: 2 ties: 0 |