— By Taylor Kennedy
Sectional and regional play is right around the corner for basketball teams across West Virginia, which means many are starting to ramp up for the postseason.
Among squads with their sights set on a state championship is Poca High School’s boys team, which fell short last season in the Class AA final to top seed Williamstown, 50-47.
The Dots returned nearly all of their key contributors from last season, including Virginia signee Isaac McKneely.
Poca (15-1) is rated the top team in Class AA and has won 14 straight since its only loss to Nitro.
After coming close to cutting down the nets on championship Saturday last season, the Dots are seeking vengeance.
“We are happy with where we are in our season right now,” said veteran Poca head coach Allen Osborne. “We are playing well. We stepped up another notch defensively. We think we have played a tough schedule. We are looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Osborne has seen a different fire inside his squad after finishing runner-up in 2021.
“They are on a mission,” Osborne said. “We were close, and we did not play well in the state championship game. We do not want to take anything away from Williamstown, because they outplayed us. Our guys want to get back there, and it will not be easy. They are focused.”
Poca has played tough competition across southern West Virginia, and Osborne feels that they get every team’s best showing.
“I think we are talented enough to win it, but we have to go out and play. We cannot just show up,” Osborne said. “We have a big target on our back every time we play. That is going to make us better in the end. We have to continue being who we are and doing what we are doing.”
The Dots’ defense has carried them during the win streak.
Poca is holding opponents to 37 points per game, including 29 points over the last five games. The Dots held then-Class AAA top-rated Logan to a season-low 44-points last Friday, allowing them to pull away for a comfortable 22-point win.
“The players themselves have taken responsibility and taken pride in their defense,” Osborne said. “We work on it every day, and it is a matter of the players buying into what we are asking them to do. They have stepped up, and they have taken a lot of pride in that.”
Poca has won nine straight games away from the Dot Dome, including wins over Graham and East Rockingham, a pair of Virginia schools the Dots faced in a FCA Prep Showcase in Bristol, Virginia.
“We set it up that way so that we can grow and develop as a team,” Osborne said. “We have had a difficult schedule, and the kids have prepared well. It is going to help us in the end.”
McKneely won the Bill Evans award last season, annually presented to the state’s top player and voted on by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. He averaged 22 points and made 62 3-pointers.
This season, McKneely is averaging almost identical numbers, posting 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists per game.
“His goal is to win a state championship, and he has put us on his back,” Osborne stated. “He gets excited about playing in big games. Isaac is a special kid. He is a hard worker and leader. I cannot say enough good things about him.”
Poca’s Isaac McKneely takes flight. ? #wvprepbb pic.twitter.com/Z0kkndYQRC
— MetroNews HS Sports (@MetroNewsPrep) February 5, 2022
Fellow senior Jackson Toney has enjoyed a solid final season and is averaging 15 points and five rebounds..
“He has improved on the defensive end, and he is active down there,” Osborne noted. “He is an outstanding shooter. He is an intelligent player.”
Toby Payne, a Marshall football signee, has received valuable playing time since his freshman season, much like McKneely.
Payne is a big factor as a primary rebounder and screen-setter for Poca and contributes six points on average.
“Toby has developed well into an inside scoring threat,” Osborne stated. “He has come a long way in that area. He is a great defender and rebounder.”
The Dots play back-to-back games this weekend, looking to prolong their win streak first against Charleston Catholic on Friday, before heading to Sissonville on Saturday.