By BRIAN WOODSON
BLUEFIELD — It’s professional basketball season in Bluefield.
The West Virginia Blazers will begin their second year in existence today by playing host to the Salem Mustangs at Bluefield State’s Ned Shott Gymnasium. Tip-off is slated for noon.
The cost is $2 for adults, with children under eight admitted free.
Originally slated to be played in Salem, Va., the game was moved late to Bluefield, and won’t include many of the non-basketball activities that were part of the Blazers’ experience last season.
“It’s an exhibition game with Salem, but it is going to count toward our schedule due to the fact that we are using ABA officials,” West Virginia head coach Tony Webster said. “We’re not going to do all the entertainment things that we normally do like the halftime shows and all that. We’re just going to do a scrimmage-like game.”
Founded by the Bluefield Housing Authority to help in that organization’s goal of developing programs for at-risk youth, Webster said the 14-member squad playing in the American Basketball Association does more than just play basketball, adding that the team has proven to be successful in its primary goals.
“They’re in and out of the schools, they’re in the community, they’re not just basketball players,” Webster said. “What our goal is to help out at-risk youth so they’re in the community and that is the main thing.
“I think it is a benefit, with the problems we have with our kids today, if you can keep one out of jail and off drugs and off alcohol, I think program has been successful.”
The Blazers were a success last season. After an 0-9 start, West Virginia wound up two games under .500, but qualified for the playoffs, losing in the opening round to the New York Thunder.
“We’re excited with what we did last year, but that is over,” Webster said. “We made the playoffs for the first time and that was a good accomplishment for us so we were excited about that.
“That’s over with and now we’re getting ready for this year and see if we can do things to be more competitive and get back in the playoffs and go deeper in the playoffs.”
Six players return for West Virginia, including the potent inside presence of former Bluefield star Cedric Brown, and Bluefield State products Corey Lowe and Chawn Martin. DeNelle Hale (Frostburg State) is also back, as are Chris Nichols (Concord) and Neil Rasnake (Council, Western Carolina).
“They were with us the whole season last year and they stuck it out and they basically know what to expect this year,” said Webster, an assistant coach for the Bluefield Beavers football team, who is receiving coaching help from Willie Ellison and Brian Kidd.
New additions include Coryon Ross, a former Bluefield star, who will share point guard duties with Hale. Others include J.R. Montgomery (Bluefield), Carlos Van Hook (Bluefield State), Jeremy Lewis (Concord), Jordan Carter (George Mason) and 6-foot-8 Papa Gassama, an import from Africa, who played at Mountain State.
“Going into this a second year we are a little bit more prepared because we know what we have to compete up against, but it is still some work in progress,” Webster said. “It is a very competitive league and we are in one of the toughest regions in the ABA so we’re going to have to compete every night.”
After playing its home games last season in Beckley, Bluefield will play nine of its 15 home tilts this year at Bluefield State. While Webster was pleased at the way the Blazers were accepted during its inaugural campaign, he’s excited to play a few more games closer to home.
West Virginia’s “official” home schedule starts on Jan. 3. More than half of the their road trips will be played in December, and the Blazers will blaze a long trail to places like Michigan, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio.
“I’m just tickled to death that we are playing more games here in Bluefield now,” Webster said. “We had talked to some of the board members at the city of Bluefield and they were excited to get us back here at Bluefield knowing that we are based and owned by the Bluefield Housing Authority.
“They were very interested in wanting us to be back in Bluefield. They have really accepted us and we thank them for welcoming us with open arms. We look forward to staying here in Bluefield and hoping that the people of Bluefield will come out and support us.”
Webster learned much about the ABA from the Blazers’ first season, including how good the competition really is. He’s anxious to get started, with the Blazers next game after today slated for Dec. 9 against the Charlotte Crossovers in Charlotte, N.C.
“It got more competitive, but we understood after we got into the season how competitive it was,” Webster said. “We started playing a little bit better, a little bit harder, and the guys realized they have to play their “A” game almost every single game because this is a professional league and you have to be ready to play at all times.
“In that late stretch, we started winning some games and we were competitive in those games...Near the end of the season we picked it up and we ended the season better than what I thought we would to be honest with you.
“We look forward to the season and opening up and hoping we can improve what we did from last year.”
—Contact Brian Woodson at
bwoodson@bdtonline.com
