Shady Spring โ There was a lot of change in Charmco this past spring.
Gone is a senior class that helped Greenbrier West break a 27-year snide and return to the basketball state tournament two times in three years.
The Cavs followed by taking advantage of the recent three-week period to see what the next generation looks like.
Itโs also given West head coach Jared Robertson an opportunity to sit back and evaluate what heโll have. Literally sit back.
โWe started playing a summer league the first week of June,โ Robertson said. โUnless I was using flex days I wasnโt going to coach them in games anyways. So Iโve got a couple good dads that help me out during the season that were happy to jump in and we got to the three-week period and I told them โguys, you just go ahead and coach.โ I talk to them a little bit in between games about things we need to work on, but we lost so much and weโve got so much youth. I just want them to play, get some nerves out and get used to the speed of the game because itโs a lot of JV kids and itโs a step up coming to the varsity level.โ
While heโs been watching from the bleachers more than the sidelines, Robertsonโs had his fingers all over preparing next seasonโs team. He made sure they were challenged in competitive summer leagues and shootouts.
On such challenge was the Shady Spring Shootout on July 19.
The event featured Class AAA champion Shady Spring and Independence, Class AA teams Wyoming East, Liberty, Bluefield as well as some other talented programs in Tyler Consolidated and Greater Beckley.
โWe have a lot of young guards and we faced Bluefield,โ Robertson said. โTheyโre as fast as any team you will ever see in Class A and then some. Itโs a big adjustment for kids but we always try to play tougher teams in the summer because it makes it a little easier when you get to the season. But even seeing teams like Greater Beckley โ theyโre very talented, Bluefieldโs talented, PikeViewโs scrappy. I think you get to watch kids learn from game to game. Once we get to the season itโs easier to find the things we really need to focus on. Itโs a lot of help to come out here and build.โ
Still, the Cavs are reeling from the loss of seven seniors, including first-team all-stater Kaiden Pack. The stable isnโt completely empty though. The summer period hasallowed Chase McClung, a key contributor to last yearโs team, to show what he can do in a leadership role.
โHeโs the one kid we have back thatโs played a ton,โ Robertson said. โItโs amazing seeing him step into the senior role without saying a word. He plays so hard and when he gets on these kids they respect him. Heโs going to be our leader โ itโs obvious watching. Weโve got a lot of younger kids out here. Itโs going to be exciting to see them grow from this summer.โ
Contact Tyler Jackson at tylerjackson@lootpress.com, call him at 304-731-5542 and follow on Twitter @tjack94
