MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Poca returned to the Class AA state basketball tournament for the first time in three seasons this winter. They played their way back to Charleston with a large senior class and a talented freshman who led the squad in scoring. Isaac McKneely averaged 17.3 points per contest and his impressive first season in a Poca uniform has netted him four Division 1 scholarship offers this summer.
Stetson was the first school to offer the 6-foot-2 guard. Former Marshall head coach Donnie Jones is entering his first season as the head coach of the Hatters.
“It was an amazing feeling. I wasn’t expecting to get it that early,” McKneely said.
“I knew Donnie Jones because he used to coach at Dayton. He came and watched me one day at practice last season.”
In June, Robert Morris was the second school to make a scholarship offer. Marshall followed with an offer less than a week later.
“I went to their team camp last year. They said they were interested in me. So I have been waiting on that one and kind of expected it.”
McKneely’s fourth offer came from Davidson. Poca graduate Luke Frampton just completed his freshman season with the Wildcats, starting all 34 games. Frampton led the Atlantic 10 with 100 made three-pointers.
“We have worked out together a few times. He has definitely been trying to get me down there.”
“I wasn’t expecting Davidson because they have never offered a kid as young as me. That’s the one I was most surprised about to come this early.”
McKneely says he plans to verbally commit to a school prior to the start of his senior season in the fall of 2021.
“It is every kid’s dream to get recruited in high school. Calling all these coaches is a real blessing because a lot of players don’t get to experience it.”
McKneely is competing with the ‘Wildcat Select’ team in AAU basketball this summer. He is focused on becoming a better player on the defensive end of the floor.
“I can score but if I really want to play at the next level I am going to have to get really good on the defensive end so I can guard other guards.”
The Dots won just five games in the 2017-2018 season but they reappeared on the state’s biggest stage in March by upsetting Logan in the regional round to advance to the state tournament.
“We were the underdog. We expected to win. It was just a crazy game. It was a great atmosphere and the game was just amazing.”
“Coach (Allen) Osborne helped me to have a big role on the team so I just came in, did my role and did whatever I could do to help the team win.”
Poca’s roster will have a significantly different look this winter with the graduation of five seniors that combined to average 33.7 points per game. One of those seniors was Isaac’s older brother Evan McKneely. Evan was the team’s second-leading scorer at 13.6 points per game.
“It helped me a lot transitioning from middle school to high school on and off the court. I bonded with him during school and on the court and got to know his friends very well.”