Prep roundup: Local teams move up in the latest coaches polls

Jan. 6—MORGANTOWN — It's been a strong start to the 2025-2026 high school basketball season for most of our coverage-area squads, with the rest of the state starting to take notice.

GIRLS BASKETBALL Morgantown, ranked second in the latest rankings, sits 7-1 after a decisive win against Class AAA, No. 3 Nitro on Saturday, 70-52. The Mohigans will enter their most brutal stretch of the schedule starting Tuesday night at home against No. 3 Parkersburg (due to game time, the result can be found at www.dominionpost.com). They'll then travel to Keyser on January 16, before a rematch of last year's Class AAAA title game with Spring Valley the very next day. Then round out January against University and Parkersburg once again.

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University High improved to 7-2 with a pair of wins over Hampshire (77-71) and Jefferson (51-29) over the last week. Against the Trojans, senior Bri Fox scored 30 points, adding eight assists, six steals, and four rebounds. The Hawks will travel to Woodrow Wilson on January 9 for their next contest, before a home matchup with Huntington on the 10th. UHS sat sixth in the latest coaches' poll.

Clay-Battelle hasn't played since December 27, a 79-10 win over East Hardy, and will return for a pair of home games against River View and Wood County Christian on January 9 and 10.

BOYS BASKETBALL Morgantown remains unbeaten so far this year, improving to 6-0 over the holiday break at the Winter Classic in Summersville. Senior Waylon Colistra scored 17 points and grabbed 17 rebounds against Riverside in a 75-55 victory. No. 2 MHS will return to action Thursday at home against No. 4 Parkersburg South, a rematch of a Class AAAA semifinal last season, won by the Mohigans.

University has continued its impressive start to the season across the new year, improving to 6-1 before the turn of the calendar. The Hawks are ranked sixth in this week's coaches' poll and will travel across county lines on Wednesday to visit Preston at 5:45 p.m.

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Clay-Battelle is off to one of the hottest starts in Class A at 6-0 and ranked third in the latest coaches' poll. After a massive win on the road at East Hardy, the Cee-Bees downed Class AA-opponent Midland Trail at the Winter Classic a week ago, then defeated Madonna 80-43 on Monday. With their next four games at home, don't be surprised if Clay-Battelle is unbeaten entering February.

Trinity Christian senior Austin Porta scored 30 points with eight three-pointers against Wood County Christian as the Warriors improved to 7-1 on the season. Fellow senior Collin Lemley added 16 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists in the win. Porta now averages 22.8 points per game, with Lemley adding 14.9 points and 11.6 rebounds a night. TCS will hit the road for its next three games, starting with Cameron on January 9.

Preston continues to seek its first win of the campaign, with its last two games being within two possessions. The Knights fell to St. Albans 44-42 in the Winter Classic before dropping a road game against John Marshall, 59-53, on January 3. It won't get much easier for PHS with a home game against University on Wednesday, followed by a road trip to Bridgeport on Friday.