Joey White for WVMetroNews.com
FARMINGTON, W.Va. – After a hiatus from statewide boys basketball prominence, North Marion has reemerged as a legitimate Class AA state tournament contender.
The Huskies won a combined six games over the last two seasons, but returned a solid core overall, looking to make the state tournament for the first time since 2013.
“The kids worked really hard and had a great offseason” said head coach Chris Freeman.” We have four seniors on our team, Elijah Hines, Pette Jennings, Micah Parrish and Forrest Funkhouser, who have really played varsity basketball since they were sophomores, so we felt like we had a chance to have a pretty good year.”
North Marion compliments its seniors with 6-foot-9 junior center Jude Akabueze, who commands a lot of attention from opposing defenses.
“Obviously with Jude (Akabueze) in there we have the size advantage,” said Freeman. “A lot of times people are going to double and triple team him, and being able to get it out around the perimeter and knock down some shots is big for us to get going early.”
That offensive versatility has been working in the Huskies’ favor. Early in the season, they beat a tough East Fairmont team 79-74 and followed it with a convincing 77-67 win over region opponent Philip Barbour in early January.
North Marion (13-3) last week was the fourth highest ranked AA team in the MetroNews Power Index, but will have a difficult path to the state tournament. The Huskies are competing in the same section as defending state champion and No. 3 Fairmont Senior (11-3), and a streaking No. 5 East Fairmont team (13-3) looking to avenge the early-season loss.
Two of North Marion’s three losses came out of state during a tournament at Disney in Florida.
“We’re fortunate to be where we are – we have to go through some pretty tough teams,” said Freeman. “You’re looking at three very good teams right now and only two are going to get out [of the section]. You have to have a really solid team to get out, and you have to have a little bit of luck to go with it.”
Even in such a competitive section, Freeman remains optimistic about returning to the Class AA state tournament, and understands what a berth would mean.
“We talk to the kids about that all the time,” said Freeman. “North Marion has only been to the state tournament five years in school history, so we haven’t been there a lot. To get back I think would mean a lot to our community.”
Ultimately, a trip to the state tournament would mean a lot to the Huskies’ senior class as well, which has endured some difficult years to get to this point.
“If we are able to get lucky enough to get down there, I think it would be something special for our kids to say they were a part of,” said Freeman.
| NORTH MARION 2016-2017 Boys Basketball Schedule |
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| 1 | 11/26/16 | TBAPM | H – | SCRIMMAGE VS NOTRE DAME | – | |||
| 2 | 12/03/16 | TBAPM | A – | SCRIMMAGE OAK GLEN | – | |||
| 3 | 12/09/16 | 7:30PM | H – | PETERSBURG | 75 | – | 51 | W |
| 4 | 12/10/16 | 2:00PM | H – | NORTH MARION VS KEYSER AT EAST FAIRMONT | 62 | – | 45 | W |
| 5 | 12/15/16 | 7:30PM | H – | EAST FAIRMONT | 79 | – | 74 | W |
| 6 | 12/17/16 | 6:30PM | A – | VS POCA @ (RCB/CARDINAL CHALLENGE) | 41 | – | 60 | L |
| 7 | 12/27/16 | TBAPM | A – | DISNEY @ FLORIDA | 70 | – | 78 | L |
| 8 | 12/28/16 | TBAPM | A – | DISNEY @ FLORIDA | 70 | – | 52 | W |
| 9 | 12/29/16 | TBAPM | A – | DISNEY @ FLORIDA | 54 | – | 61 | L |
| 10 | 01/03/17 | 7:30PM | A – | BUCKHANNON-UPSHUR | 61 | – | 55 | W |
| 11 | 01/07/17 | 3:15PM | H – | ELKINS | 58 | – | 54 | W |
| 12 | 01/10/17 | 7:30PM | A – | PHILIP BARBOUR HIGH SCHOOL | 77 | – | 67 | W |
| 13 | 01/12/17 | 7:30PM | H – | BRIDGEPORT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 62 | – | 56 | W |
| 14 | 01/17/17 | 7:30PM | A – | ROBERT C. BYRD | 53 | – | 50 | W |
| 15 | 01/19/17 | 7:30PM | H – | LIBERTY (HARRISON) | 77 | – | 62 | W |
| 16 | 01/24/17 | 7:30PM | A – | LINCOLN | 61 | – | 58 | W |
| 17 | 01/26/17 | 7:30PM | A – | GRAFTON | 82 | – | 66 | W |
| 18 | 01/28/17 | 4:00PM | H – | WEIR | 72 | – | 53 | W |
| 19 | 01/31/17 | 7:30PM | H – | LEWIS COUNTY | – | |||
| 20 | 02/02/17 | 7:30PM | H – | FAIRMONT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | – | |||
| 21 | 02/07/17 | 7:30PM | H – | PRESTON HIGH SCHOOL | – | |||
| 22 | 02/14/17 | 7:30PM | H – | PHILIP BARBOUR HIGH SCHOOL | – | |||
| 23 | 02/16/17 | 7:30PM | A – | FAIRMONT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | – | |||
| 24 | 02/22/17 | 7:30PM | A – | EAST FAIRMONT | – | |||
| 25 | 02/25/17 | 7:00PM | H – | SECTIONAL GAME (4VS5) | – | |||
| 26 | 02/28/17 | 7:00PM | H – | SECTIONAL SEMI | – | |||
| 27 | 03/02/17 | 7:00PM | H – | SECTIONAL FINALS | – | |||
| 28 | 03/08/17 | 7:00PM | H – | REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP | – | |||
| wins: 13 lost: 3 ties: 0 | ||||||||