MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Chase Harler, who last March carried Wheeling Central to the Class A state championship as a sophomore, became West Virginia’s first 2016 basketball commitment on Sunday.
The 6-foot-3 guard’s pledge was first reported by Rivals writer Keenan Cummings of WVSports.com, and Harler subsequently tweeted:
The first schools to recruit Harler were Marshall, James Madison, Elon and Winthrop, but the lifelong West Virginia fan told Rivals last month he was hoping for a Mountaineers offer.
“It’d be cool to stay in-state and people would be able to come to watch me,” he said. “It would be cool to be sort of like a hometown hero like Nathan Adrian.”
West Virginia’s 2015 class currently features one in-state commitment, 6-foot-10 center Levi Cook, who transferred last year to Huntington Prep from Liberty High.
Harler averaged 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists in leading Wheeling Central to a 25-3 record last season, culminated by a 64-55 double-overtime win in the Class A title game over Charleston Catholic.
Harler scored 30 points in the championship, nine of those in the second overtime period.
Harler projects as a shooting guard at West Virginia though he possesses strong ballhandling skills, having played point guard for his high school team.