West Virginia high school basketball scores are starting to look like a puzzle where none of the pieces fit where they used to. If you’ve spent any time in a gym between Bluefield and Morgantown lately, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The 2025-26 season has been chaotic. Honestly, it's the kind of season where a Tuesday night in January can completely rewrite the power rankings.
Take Friday night, January 16. The Bulldogs from Martinsburg absolutely dismantled Lewis County with a 68-42 win that felt even more lopsided than the score suggests. They hit seven three-pointers in the first half alone. It wasn't just luck. It was a statement. Then you look over at Nitro, who took Linsly to the woodshed with a 64-32 victory. Karson Jones went off for 22 points and 10 boards. That’s the kind of efficiency that makes coaches in the MSAC lose sleep.
But looking at the scoreboard is only half the battle. You have to understand the context of who is putting those numbers up and why the traditional powers are suddenly looking over their shoulders.
What the Latest Scoreboard Tells Us About the Rankings
Right now, if you’re looking for the top of the mountain, you’re looking at Wheeling Central Catholic and Morgantown. Both are sitting at 8-0 as of mid-January. It’s a collision course. George Washington is right there too, boasting a 9-0 record that has them firmly in the "don't overlook us" category.
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The MetroNews power rankings just dropped, and it's clear the voters are high on George Washington, Capital, Wheeling Central, and Tug Valley. These aren't just names on a list; they’re teams that are winning by an average of 15+ points.
Recent Results You Might Have Missed
- Scott 51, Chapmanville 49: A absolute nail-biter that proved Scott can hang with the heavy hitters in Class AA.
- Bridgeport 50, Lincoln 35: A defensive masterclass. Bridgeport never even trailed.
- Morgantown 64, Aliquippa (PA) 53: Going out of state and getting a win against a Pennsylvania powerhouse says everything about the Mohigans' ceiling this year.
- Parkersburg South 66, Parkersburg 55: The "Civil War" lived up to the hype, but South's depth was just too much in the fourth quarter.
The Players Moving the Needle
Scores don't happen in a vacuum. You've got guys like Harry Silvis at Parkersburg South who is basically a human bucket, averaging 32.7 points per game through his first stretch of the season. Think about that for a second. In a 32-minute high school game, he’s nearly scoring a point a minute.
Then there’s Taylor Carder over at Paw Paw. He’s averaging 29.9. People sometimes overlook the smaller schools, but Carder is the real deal. If you haven't seen Jerin Westfall from Buckhannon-Upshur, you're missing out on one of the best glass-cleaners in the state. He's averaging a double-double with 27 points and 13 rebounds.
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It’s not just the scorers, though. Braden Ponceroff at Clay-Battelle is dishing out over 8 assists a game. That’s rare air in West Virginia high school ball.
Why This Season Feels Unpredictable
Usually, by January, we have a pretty good idea of who’s going to be in Charleston for the state tournament. This year? Not so much. Class AAAA is a literal gauntlet. You have Spring Mills (8-1) and George Washington (9-0) looking like juggernauts, but then you see a team like Parkersburg South (8-2) that can beat anyone on a given night.
The parity is weirdly high. We’re seeing more "upsets" than usual, though maybe they aren't upsets. Maybe the gap between the #1 and #15 teams has just shrunk.
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Class-by-Class Snapshots
- Class AAAA: It’s Morgantown’s world, and we’re just living in it, but Spring Mills is a legitimate threat to the throne.
- Class AAA: Shady Spring and Nitro are the names to watch. Nitro’s interior presence with Karson Jones is a problem for everyone.
- Class AA: Wheeling Central Catholic is the unanimous favorite for a reason. They play a style of ball that is just hard to replicate.
- Class A: Tug Valley is the team to beat here. They’re 6-2 but their losses are to much larger schools.
How to Track West Virginia High School Basketball Scores Like a Pro
If you’re trying to stay on top of this, don't just rely on one source. The WVSSAC official site is good for the "official" record, but it can be slow.
For the fastest updates, you’ve basically got to live on X (formerly Twitter). Local beat writers like those at MetroNews or the Wheeling Intelligencer are usually posting final scores minutes after the buzzer. MaxPreps is decent for stats, but their schedules can sometimes be hit-or-miss if a game gets postponed due to snow—which, let's be honest, happens every other week in the Mountain State.
Actionable Ways to Follow the Season
- Follow the "Voters": Watch the MetroNews Power Poll every Friday. It’s the most respected barometer for where teams actually stand.
- Check the Strength of Schedule: A 7-3 team playing in the MSAC is often much better than a 10-0 team playing a soft schedule. Look at the "Strength" rating on MaxPreps to see the real story.
- Watch the Regionals: The regional brackets are where the real heartbreaks happen. Mark your calendars for late February.
- Attend a Rivalry Game: If you can get to a Parkersburg vs. Parkersburg South or a Morgantown vs. University game, do it. The atmosphere affects the scores more than the X's and O's do.
The road to Charleston is already narrowing. With every whistle and every buzzer-beater, the picture gets a little clearer, even if the scores keep surprising us. Keep an eye on the Tuesday night results—that's usually when the most interesting movement happens in the standings.
To stay ahead of the curve, start comparing the common opponents of the top five teams in your class. This "transitive property" of basketball is often the best way to predict who will win those neutral-site games when the state tournament finally kicks off. Check the scores from the previous week's matchups against those common foes to see who is trending upward at the right time.