NEW MARTINSVILLE, W.Va. — Class A boys basketball defending state champion Magnolia entered Saturday 13-2 on the year, having won eight straight games.
The Blue Eagles suffered early season losses to rival Wheeling Central and Trinity, but bounced back nicely. Magnolia avenged the loss to Wheeling Central with a 65-61 win over the Maroon Knights in New Martinsville on January 30.
“I’m not a guy who makes excuses, but our football team was 14-0 and won the state championship (in December). Four of my top eight players were on that football team and I think that gave Wheeling Central a huge advantage in that first game,” said Magnolia coach Dave Tallman. “It’s a work in progress. When you bring those guys up, it’s a whole new chemistry. Our chemistry right now is getting a lot better and the whole key to this is to peak at the end.”
Magnolia lost just one starter from last year’s championship team and has been led again by senior Preston Boswell who has been averaging around 35 points per game.
“Preston has gotten a lot stronger and smarter as a senior,” Tallman said. “He’s a pretty good rebounder and has great vision. I think he brings the level of his teammates up.
“We’re still good offensive rebounders and we shoot the ball pretty well on intermediate jump shots,” Tallman said. “We have to improve on our 3-point shooting and free throw shooting. But this is band of guys who are on a mission and they’re really enjoyable to watch.”
The complete interview with Tallman is at the top of the page.
MAGNOLIA HIGH SCHOOL 2015-2016 Boys Basketball Schedule |
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1 | 12/18/15 | 6:00PM | A – | BROOKE HIGH SCHOOL | 73 | – | 46 | W |
2 | 12/19/15 | 1:15PM | A – | ELKINS | 79 | – | 52 | W |
3 | 12/22/15 | 6:00PM | H – | MONROE CENTRAL | 91 | – | 52 | W |
4 | 12/28/15 | 6:00PM | H – | TYLER CONSOLIDATED | 93 | – | 39 | W |
5 | 12/29/15 | 5:30PM | A – | BISHOP DONAHUE – UNDO’S TOURNAMENT | 76 | – | 45 | W |
6 | 12/30/15 | 8:30PM | A – | WHEELING CENTRAL – UNDO’S TOURNAMENT | 59 | – | 71 | L |
7 | 01/02/16 | 4:00PM | A – | TRINITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | 78 | – | 87 | L |
8 | 01/08/16 | 6:00PM | H – | PADEN CITY HIGH SCHOOL | 76 | – | 64 | W |
9 | 01/15/16 | 6:00PM | A – | NORTH MARION | 73 | – | 45 | W |
10 | 01/16/16 | 7:00PM | A – | VALLEY (WETZEL) | 73 | – | 58 | W |
11 | Cancelled | 2:30PM | A – | GREATER BECKLEY CHRISTIAN | – | |||
12 | 01/30/16 | 8:00PM | H – | WHEELING CENTRAL CATHOLIC | 65 | – | 61 | W |
13 | 02/04/16 | 6:00PM | A – | BISHOP DONAHUE HIGH SCHOOL | 83 | – | 62 | W |
14 | 02/05/16 | 6:00PM | A – | PADEN CITY HIGH SCHOOL | 74 | – | 44 | W |
15 | 02/06/16 | 6:00PM | H – | RIVER(HANNIBAL) | 68 | – | 59 | W |
16 | Cancelled | 5:40PM | A – | TUG VALLEY | – | |||
17 | 02/11/16 | 6:00PM | H – | MONROE CENTRAL , OH H.S. | 58 | – | 43 | W |
18 | 02/13/16 | TBAPM | A – | OVAC GAME | – | |||
19 | 02/16/16 | 6:00PM | A – | RIVER(HANNIBAL) | – | |||
20 | 02/22/16 | 6:00PM | A – | CAMERON | – | |||
21 | 02/24/16 | 6:00PM | A – | ST. MARYS | – | |||
22 | 02/26/16 | 6:00PM | H – | MADONNA | – | |||
wins: 13 lost: 2 ties: 0 |