BECKLEY, W.Va. — Entering Friday, the lone loss for the Woodrow Wilson boys basketball team this season came in double-overtime, 71-65, to two-time defending Class AAA state champion Huntington back in December.
Otherwise, the Flying Eagles (11-1) have been dominant. Beckley returned starters Tarek Payne and Malyk Fowlkes from last year’s state tournament semifinal team, but new transfer additions like Isaiah Francis, Courtney Walton and Ty Walton (from Greater Beckley Christian) have added even more depth.
Another critical transfer was Nequan Carrington who returned to the Woodrow Wilson after spending some time at Winston-Salem Prep in North Carolina.
“I’ve been enjoying my senior year so much,” Carrington said. “Watching the guys, playing against some great teams and I’ve just been enjoying it the best that I can.”
And while he ultimately came back to Beckley, Carrington said his time at prep school certainly changed the way he plays and improved his game overall.
“I was a more run and gun type of player before, just putting my head down,” he said. “Playing down in North Carolina, you have to get your points the best way that you can – you have to find other ways to score. It helped me become a smarter player on defense and a smarter scorer.”
Ultimately, Carrington is hoping to lead Woodrow Wilson back to the top of Class AAA and earn the school’s first boys basketball title since 2008.
“I think we’re a great group of basketball players and I feel like we could play with just about anybody in any state or any county. I feel like we could be state champions this year,” Carrington said. “We all know how one another plays, we know who our shooters are and who handles the ball the best. We’re not going to try and rush it, though. We’re taking it one game at a time and trying to get better for the state tournament run.”
The complete interview with Carrington is posted at the top of the page.
| WOODROW WILSON 2015-2016 Boys Basketball Schedule |
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| 1 | 12/16/15 | 7:30PM | A – | NITRO | 99 | – | 46 | W |
| 2 | 12/18/15 | 7:30PM | H – | HURRICANE (@ RALEIGH COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER) | 84 | – | 48 | W |
| 3 | 12/21/15 | 7:30PM | A – | HUNTINGTON | 65 | – | 71 | L |
| 4 | 12/28/15 | 8:00PM | H – | WESTSIDE, LITTLE GENERAL TOUR. @8:00 @ RCCC (GW&LOGAN@6:00) | 72 | – | 42 | W |
| 5 | 12/29/15 | 6:00PM | H – | LITTLE GENERAL TOUR. LOSERS @ 6:00 WINNERS @ 8:00 @ (RCCC) | 64 | – | 53 | W |
| 6 | 01/05/16 | 7:30PM | A – | ST. ALBANS HIGH SCHOOL | 77 | – | 47 | W |
| 7 | 01/07/16 | 7:30PM | H – | SPRING VALLEY (@WWHS) | 94 | – | 71 | W |
| 8 | 01/11/16 | 7:30PM | H – | SHADY SPRING (@ RALEIGH COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER) | 71 | – | 37 | W |
| 9 | 01/14/16 | 7:30PM | H – | WINFIELD (@WWHS) | 73 | – | 44 | W |
| 10 | 01/16/16 | 7:30PM | H – | CABELL MIDLAND (@ WWHS) | 88 | – | 36 | W |
| 11 | Cancelled | 7:30PM | A – | PARKERSBURG | – | |||
| 12 | Cancelled | 7:30PM | H – | CAPITAL (@ RALEIGH COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER) | – | |||
| 13 | 01/30/16 | 7:30PM | H – | BLUEFIELD @ RALEIGH CONUTY CONVENTION CENTER | 77 | – | 51 | W |
| 14 | 02/02/16 | 7:30PM | H – | GEORGE WASHINGTON @ WWHS | 77 | – | 52 | W |
| 15 | 02/05/16 | TBAPM | H – | BIG ATLANTIC CLASSIC (@RALEIGH COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER) | – | |||
| 16 | 02/06/16 | TBAPM | H – | BIG ATLANTIC CLASSIC (@RALEIGH COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER) | – | |||
| 17 | 02/08/16 | 7:30PM | H – | CAPITAL RESCHEDULED FROM 1/27 | – | |||
| 18 | 02/10/16 | 7:30PM | A – | SOUTH CHARLESTON | – | |||
| 19 | 02/12/16 | 7:30PM | H – | RIVERSIDE @ RALEIGH CO. CONVENTION CENTER (MISS SWEETHEART) | – | |||
| 20 | 02/13/16 | 7:30PM | A – | PARKERSBURG (RESCHEDULED FROM 1/22) | – | |||
| 21 | 02/16/16 | 7:30PM | A – | RIPLEY | – | |||
| 22 | 02/20/16 | 7:30PM | A – | MSAC GAME 19TH OR 20TH | – | |||
| 23 | 02/23/16 | 7:30PM | H – | OAK HILL @ RALEIGH CO. CONVENTION CENTER (SENIOR NIGHT) | – | |||
| 24 | 02/26/16 | 7:30PM | A – | LOGAN | – | |||
| 25 | 02/29/16 | 7:00PM | H – | SECTIONALS 2/29-3/5 HOME OR AWAY | – | |||
| 26 | 03/08/16 | 7:00PM | H – | AAA REGIONALS HOME OR AWAY | – | |||
| 27 | 03/16/16 | TBAPM | A – | STATE TOURNAMENT 3/16-3/19 | – | |||
| wins: 11 lost: 1 ties: 0 | ||||||||