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Basketball was quick to catch on in the Mountain State. It was invented in Massachusetts in 1891, by 1903, West Virginia University had its first team, following three years later by Marshall College (now University.
The West Virginia boys' high school basketball tournament was held in Buckhannon in 1914. The first girls' tournament was held in Spencer in 1919. Since then, over 350 schools have taken part. Every spring, the tournaments—now held in Charleston—bring thousands of players and fans together, creating a fun, exciting atmosphere in the city.
Here are a few of the players and moments from Mountain State basketball history.
Grafton native Clair Bee was a college basketball coach and author. He led Long Island University to national titles in 1939 and 1941 but left coaching after a 1951 betting scandal involving some of his players.Bee also wrote the popular Chip Hilt...
This Marion County native helped pioneer the zone defense and fast break in basketball. Henderson played sports at Glenville State College (now University) before coaching at Davis & Elkins College, where he had great success in both football ...
Marshall "Little Sleepy" Glenn was a star athlete, coach, and doctor from Elkins. He played football and basketball at WVU, where he was team captain in both sports. Glenn later coached basketball (1934-38) and football (1937-40) at WVU, even whil...
Coach Richard "Dyke" Raese led West Virginia University to its first major sports championship by winning the 1942 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in basketball. Born in Davis, Tucker County, Raese played and coached sports at Davis High befo...
This Charleston native was one of the greatest basketball players to come out of West Virginia. A star at Charleston High School, he went on to shine at WVU in the 1950s. He averaged 24.5 points per game in college, scored 2,180 points total, and ...
Earl Lloyd was the first Black player to play in an NBA game. He made history on October 31, 1950, when he played for the Washington Capitols against the Rochester Royals. Though he scored just six points, his presence opened the door for future B...
Fred Schaus was a star basketball player at West Virginia University, becoming an All-American in 1949. He later played in the NBA before returning to WVU as head coach from 1954 to 1960, leading the team to great success, including a national tit...
Hal Greer (pictured as #15 for Philadelphia) was a basketball star from Huntington. He played at Frederick Douglass High during segregation and became the first Black athlete at Marshall College (now University). There, he scored 1,377 points and ...
Cabin Creek native Jerry West is generally considered West Virginia's greatest athlete in history. He led East Bank High School to a state title in 1956 and became a star at West Virginia University, where he was a two-time All-American and nearly...
This Mercer County native was a basketball star at Princeton High and later at West Virginia University, where he wore number 44 like Jerry West. A top student and athlete, he was nearly headed as a recruit to Duke until the state legislature desi...
This Braxton County native holds the national high school record for most points in a game. While playing for Burnsville High School, he scored 135 points in one game on January 26, 1960. His coach wanted him to get noticed by college scouts.He la...
Boyd is considered one of West Virginia’s greatest high school basketball coaches. He led Northfork High School to eight straight state championships from 1974 to 1981—a state and national record—and nine titles in 15 years. Known for fast-paced, ...
This Hedgesville native was a standout WVU basketball player and later became its all-time winningest basketball coach (1979-2002). As head coach, Catlett’s teams had 13 seasons with 20 or more wins. His 1981–82 team had a 23-game winning streak, ...
This Wyoming County native was a star basketball player at Mullens High and Marshall University. He played in the NBA and ABA before playing and coaching in Italy. In an NBA, he became known for his fast-paced offense. He was head coach for the De...
This Martinsburg native was a star basketball player for the University of Maryland, leading her team to big wins and setting records. After college, she played professionally in Italy and Brazil and won Olympic gold in 1988 and bronze in 1992.Bul...
Joe Mazzulla helped his native Rhode Island team win three state championships. While playing college basketball at West Virginia University, he had some trouble off the court during his junior year. A call from basketball legend Jerry West helped...
The Lady Bobcats of Summers County High School set a West Virginia state basketball record by winning 105 games in a row—more than any boys or girls team. Their streak started in 2008 and ended in 2012 with a loss to Scott High School.The team bro...
In 2021-22, Glenville State women's basketball team put up a 35-1 record and defeated Western Washington to win the Division II national championship tournament.
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